


A Life Unprotected

by abrighteyedbandit



Category: The Originals (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Best Friends, Blood Magic, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Crossover, Dark Magic, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Flashbacks, Fluff, Gen, Long-Term Relationship(s), Loss of Control, Magic-Users, Major Original Character(s), Minor Original Character(s), Origin Story, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Mythology, Original Universe, Original setting, Other, Past Relationship(s), Platonic Soulmates, Psychological Drama, Romantic Soulmates, Soul-Searching, Spinoff, True Love, Undecided Relationship(s), magic baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2018-12-24 20:57:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 118,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12020850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abrighteyedbandit/pseuds/abrighteyedbandit
Summary: FOLLOW UP TO A LIFE UNEXPECTED. Freya and Keelin are raising their one-year old daughter in a small Kentucky town away from the drama of New Orleans. As she tries to correct her misfortune, Freya continues to juggle family duties, hiding the devastating truth of her marked bloodline, and the lengths she went to in order to protect their child's life. For Keelin, a small reminder of Mikaela's werewolf heritage begins to eat away at her subconscious and threatens to open a whole other can of worms.





	1. PROLOGUE

**Author's Note:**

> So pretty much at this point, Freya and Keelin's story has crossed over to my original work. A lot will be explained as the two of them navigate their new home. Like I've said before, Freya screws up A LOT now that she's not the big sister fending for her little siblings. Keelin also goes through a lot and it gets pretty messy but I'm excited to share MY canon of her past. Be warned though it's super sad. Once Freya's secrets get out, their relationship is a complicated mess so if you want nothing but fluffy stuff then this is not a read for you lol. You're more than welcome to read the first several chapters and cut out before Keelin finds out the truth though. Either way Freya is secretly tortured by her situation from the get go so it's never completely light.

**_It was supposed to be the simplest mission of her life._ **

**_Freya made the trip to go pick up diapers for her daughter and that was easy enough. It was a routine task she had done for several months at this point. But afterwards she found herself in the place that held memories of the family she had yet to reunite. Her failure to do so no longer weighed as heavy as it had on her before but that was what made her feel worse about it._ **

**_Sure, her siblings had basically told her to hold off and put her new family first but they had no clue of what it was like to not have each other before the emergence of the Hollow. They had the experience of growing up together, transitioning together, traveling the world together, losing together, fighting together, everything together. The eldest had been robbed of that life at the tender age of five._ **

**_The desolate centuries of her lifetime were devoted to finding the people she had barely known._ **

**_So, when she finally got a taste of having her family it was like an addiction. She needed them. This was the life that she had envisioned for so long. She literally dreamed about it, the day that she would finally be a part of something bigger than herself. It was the day that she would truly be a Mikaelson and accepted, loved._ **

**_She still thought of them as that opportunity. Even though it was complicated by the newest extension of Keelin and their baby, she still wanted them with all her heart._ **

**_And so here she is soaking in the reality of not having them all together. She’s standing in the middle of the atrium looking around at how empty the family home is. Its inhabitants are long gone and spread across the world. They are trying to lead new lives amid the broken pieces of their vow, always and forever. Though she knows it was for the best, a part of her still regrets not fighting hard enough to make this a home for her own daughter._ **

**_After all it is her legacy._ **

**_Heavy footsteps bring her out of her melancholy thoughts and she turns around to lay eyes on her supposed frenemy._ **

**_“Reminiscing on a good thing gone wrong,” he quips. His hands are resting in the pockets of his long black trench coat as he regards her._ **

**_“I don’t think that’s any of your business. I also can’t recall inviting you into my home,” she retorts in annoyance. His face suddenly falls in the slightest bit and if she wasn’t focused on him at the moment she would’ve completely missed the tiny mannerism. Something about this encounter was affecting him. There was something that he was anticipating._ **

**_“Well I just wanted to make conversation…”_ **

**_He draws out the word as figures from the balconies above gather around the wide space. Sensing their unique energies pulsing around the place, the blonde looks up to see them staring right back down at her. “But since you’d rather walk down memory lane I suppose we can get to business,” he states with a tinge of regret._ **

**_“What is this?” Freya furiously questions the man with her eyes. A deep fear was starting to flare up inside of her, the fear of not making it home to her family. She is severely outnumbered, she isn’t even sure of what the beings above are. And even though she was aggressive and confident in her encounters with Maxwell, she was no fool. She could sense his power. Maybe she had started to take his slightly docile nature for granted._ **

**_“This is the consequence of your wrongdoing. Someone is very angry with you.”_ **

**_“If you’re going to kill me…”_ **

**_“Don’t be dramatic I’m not going to kill you.”_ **

**_“Then who are they,” the witch questions. Maxwell peers up at the figures. “Oh, they’re just here for the show.” Freya eyes him incredulously prompting him to explain further. He takes a moment to think up an analogy. “You have…ancestors, well I have hell hounds. At least that’s what I call them. They make sure I follow through as if my freewill hasn’t already been stolen. But mostly I think they just like to see people suffer,” the male witch supplies with a shrug._ **

**_“So, I suppose the question in the air is what exactly are you about to do?” The woman is tense but she’s not willing to surrender her dignity. The least she could do is prolong her time to concoct some kind of plan._ **

**_“I said that I wasn’t going to kill you. But now I’m telling you that what I’m about to do will kill you inside. Some say quite literally.” He raises his hand toward her and she steadies herself._ **

**_“Maxwell, wait!” He shakes his head dismissively._ **

**_“I tried to buy you time. Time’s up.”_ **

**_Freya feels the magic shoot from her fingertips but his energy blocks it. “Wow. Well then.” He shoots a force right through her that makes her blood feel like it’s boiling. She doubles over in pain but within seconds it pulls out of her and she’s like normal. “And just for that stunt I have something else for you. Don’t take it personal it’s part of the rules.” He brings his four fingers to his thumb and does a turning motion causing Freya to feel the burning of the skin on her back._ **

**_Instinctively she reaches back and feels the raised skin just as it falls to heal almost instantly. “What did you do,” the witch yells._ **

**_“All of those little enchantments you’ve been doing won’t matter now. Your bloodline is marked and branded for eternity. Any children you have will be subjected to your enemies. No protection spell can stop it, no amount of cloaking can hide them. They’re completely vulnerable from this day forward until death.” Freya gapes at him as the air leaves her lungs. “I usually only deal out the solo package but I guess you really pissed off someone enough to want your offspring as compensation. That’s pretty bad, even for you.”_ **

**_“Take it back!” The blonde is heaving, fear and anger running through her veins._ **

**_“What’s done is done. Even if I wanted to reverse it I couldn’t. It’s not a possibility I’m afraid,” he responds as a matter of fact. The tall man steps forward._ **

**_“Did you even wonder why you needed that specific child to sacrifice? Power comes with a price. It was foolish to be so reckless.”_ **

**_“I didn’t exactly have the time nor luxury to conjure up every catch twenty-two I could think of before making a decision. I did what I had to do to protect her right then,” Freya spits._ **

**_“And now you’ve put her in the line of fire. Congratulations,” Maxwell retorts with a single clap._ **

**_“Why would you even be a part of this? As much as I despise your presence you helped ensure my daughter’s birth.” The truth tastes sour on her tongue and it drives her up the wall just thinking about it._ **

**_“You wanted to know why I was in your precious city. You wanted to know how I knew all the things that I did. Well you’re finally learning why. I won’t get into my life’s story but my sole purpose is to bring any enemy to their knees so painfully slow for the right price. It’s a sort of sport, free for all. Making the prey wait and wait for a death unknown but certain. Letting them sink into their paranoia before striking. I can’t say that I don’t judge the savagery of it all but this was never a matter of choice in my case.”_ **

**_The witch glares at him as she listens intently. After a brief pause he continues._ **

**_“I was here on business when I somehow got wrapped up into your drama. I guess fate is just funny that way. Now I didn’t choose this occupation for myself so please don’t hold it against me. But if you do want to end me well then, I wish you all the luck. Let me know when you figure it out,” Maxwell concludes._ **

**_He turns to make his exit when Freya halts him with her words._ **

**_“I will find a way to stop this,” she declares. “I swear it by my daughter I will figure it out and destroy everyone in my way.” Maxwell twists around to look her over. What he sees is the first break in her spirit. He already gauges that her comeuppance will be a painful one. It had become easy for him to tell with each target due to his decades of marking them. The ones that were strong and prideful usually went down the hardest. Others who gave in and accepted their fate were spared of the more intense dragging of revenge. Looking at the will in the Mikaelson witch now prodded at his sympathy._ **

**_“You played the game well. You just gambled too high,” he comments before leaving._ **

**_The figures from above dissolve away leaving her in solitude.  
_________________________________________ **

**_Freya races home and goes straight to the bathroom. She slips out of her leather jacket and tosses it aside before lifting her shirt up. Turning around, she gazes back into the mirror to see the strange symbol printed on her skin like a tattoo._ **

**_“Freya? Are you okay,” Keelin asks with concern as she comes to the threshold. The blonde frantically pulls her shirt down right before the werewolf can see the evidence of her punishment. “Yeah,” she says as she slides past the woman and finds her daughter in the main loft sitting in her playpen. The witch peers down at the child before lifting her and checking her for any obscured markings._ **

**_Keelin pads into the room with furrowed brows at the woman’s strange behavior._ **

**_“What are you doing Freya?”_ **

**_When she finds nothing on Mikaela’s soft skin she places her back down into the pen and turns toward Keelin. She wants to tell her, she could feel the words playing on her lips. But it was her mess that she needed to fix on her own. Her girlfriend would be devastated if she found out what she had caused. There would be no lying, she just wouldn’t place the burden on the werewolf._ **

**_“I was just looking at her. I felt worried,” she replies. Keelin’s face slightly softens but she’s still confused. She takes a couple steps toward the blonde._ **

**_“She’s okay. She’s safe,” the wolf firmly says._ **

**_Freya nods her head as Keelin comes over to embrace her. Even the feel of the woman couldn’t make her misfortune dissipate but she holds her close anyway. The plan was already formulating in her busy mind. It was up to her to fix this no matter how long it took. But first, they would have to get the hell out of New Orleans and far away from her enemies._ **


	2. THE WALK BEFORE CRAWLING

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freya struggles with the heaviness of her secrets while facing her ultimate opponent: daycare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as with everything I write, I have a bit of a soundtrack that I've decided to share with those who like that sort of thing or just need some bomb ass music :) For now I'll drop the tracklisting in the notes of each chapter but when I'm done adding all the tracks to my Spotify playlist I'll link it!
> 
> 1) Midst - Wake Up, O Sleeper: Freya checks on Mikaela in her nursery.
> 
> 2) flora cash - For Someone: Freya, Keelin, and Mikaela talk in their car at the daycare.
> 
> 3) The Knocks - Classic (POWERS Sunset Mix): Freya, Keelin, and Mikaela meet Bridget.
> 
> 4) Phelian - Outskirts: Freya gets frustrated while trying to lift her curse.
> 
> 5) Meadowlark - Fire: Keelin dares Freya to kiss her while taking a walk.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

Freya springs up into a sitting position on the bed. 

Her green eyes adjust to the darkness surrounding her and she feels the warmth of the body soundly sleeping to her right. Sweat beads down her forehead and neck as she shivers from the chills climbing down her spine.

This is the third nightmare she’s had in a row. Every night they seem to grow far worse than the last and she knows that it’s the immense guilt clawing at her insides. Sometimes they confronted her with the memory of her last encounter with Maxwell. Other times she was forced to watch as her enemies snatched her child away. Each time they tore at her deepest, darkest fears leaving her feeling extremely hollow inside. 

That’s why she’d always prefer working on her spells at the farm shed. At least when she’s there the thoughts and emotions are easier to manage. It makes her feel better knowing that she’s actually working towards something, her daughter’s safety. She would stop at nothing to ensure the protection of her child’s life.

But of course, she has to keep up the calm charade for her girlfriend. The whole point, as far as the werewolf knew, of moving to the small Kentucky town was so that their child could grow up in peace. Both parents want a normal life for their baby and Keelin, especially was ready to discard the dark cloud of worry that seemed to follow them. She desired a place free from such thoughts. New Orleans was obviously never going to be that place as evident with Mikaela’s high-octane birth. There were far too many enemies in the city attached to the Mikaelson name. That was already a huge issue to consider but it only became that much more critical upon Freya’s blood being marked. 

While Keelin was obviously not made aware of that last detail, it was still very important to provide a mask of pure happiness. It would buy her the time she needed to correct her ways. She knew that the werewolf would be absolutely devastated if she ever found out about the danger hanging over their child’s precious little head. 

So, she stays in bed every night. She pretends that there isn’t any immediate crisis looming over them. She laughs at every joke her girlfriend throws at her, she plays “bear-zilla” with her daughter. She cooks the best breakfasts and spoils the two beautiful girls in her life. She strives to be the best partner and mother she can while constantly being reminded of just how much she falls short of the achievements. It tortures her but she’d always bear the scars in place of those she loved most.

After gathering herself she lifts up the covers and quietly slips out of bed. Padding down the short hallway, she reaches the nursery and slowly enters. The ever-present remnants of her magic are the first wave of greeting. When they had set up the baby’s room two weeks ago, Freya had enchanted the nursery five times over with a boundary spell. Only her and Keelin could enter. While the werewolf had insisted that the action was a little unnecessary, it had eased the witch’s anxiety in the slightest bit. It was that and the two baby monitors that Freya had set up. One, in Mikaela’s crib and the other on top of her dresser.

However, Keelin was completely on board with the baby proofing. Together they had fortified a strong defense in the form of an indoor play yard gate that span from their family room to the kitchen. At the tender age of one year, Mikaela was already such a fearless child. She was always climbing onto things and running around with closed eyes. Klaus had taken to calling her “roulette” during his visits because she was always gambling with danger. 

To the eldest Mikaelson though, she was her little kangaroo bouncing around mindlessly with the silliest personality one could ever hope to see. The little girl was always bobbing her head up and down while marching to the beat of her own drum. Her independence was daring. Over time, Keelin had naturally shortened the nickname to “Roo Roo” which fit effortlessly due to the baby’s middle name. The one-year old would be the death of her.

Freya tiptoes over to the crib and looks down at the sweet baby. Mikaela is sleeping peacefully as the blonde watches the periodic rise and fall of her little chest. She tilts her head at the angelic presence and takes in the warm rush of feelings it gives her. This child is her pride and joy, the reason her heart still beats with strength.

After several minutes, she finally decides to return to her bedroom where she inexplicably finds her girlfriend waiting for her. Her eyes widen at the woman. She had made sure not to rouse her and the truth of the matter was that the werewolf was a heavy sleeper. It contrasted Freya’s own inability to sleep for very long.

“What are you doing up Miss Mikaelson,” the wolf questions with slight concern. Freya bites her lip and slowly walks the rest of the way to their bed before sitting down. 

“I was just checking on Mikaela,” she offers. Keelin raises an eyebrow. “Is everything okay? I guess that double monitor trick really does come in handy.” The witch shakes her head. “She’s fine, it wasn’t because of something I heard. I just wanted to see her,” she assures.

Keelin’s face softens as she realizes that something is definitely bothering the woman.

“What is it Freya,” she inquires slowly. The blonde looks her in the eye while deciding if she wants to confide in her girlfriend. She isn’t really in the mood for mulling over her shaky emotions but the werewolf is looking at her with so much care and concern. So, she finally decides to give her the truth without the ugly details. After all, she is the master of half-truths and seclusion.

“I just really don’t want to be away from her tomorrow,” she admits with a soft sigh. The werewolf smiles softly at the tenderness of her girlfriend. The witch’s sensitive side is always a highlight for her. Grabbing her hands, she forces the blonde to look at her.

“I know that this is a huge milestone for the both of you. You guys are thick as thieves and even I’m jealous at times,” Keelin jokes earning a small smile from the worried woman.  
“But it’s definitely time for Mikaela to start interacting with people her own age. As in little people, not a big munchkin masquerading as a 1,000 something year old Viking witch.” Freya shakes her head at the woman’s playfulness.

“She’s talking and running around. Those interactions are important Freya. I know you always want to protect her but you have to let her spread her wings a little bit. The butterfly is literally her spirit animal for god’s sake,” the wolf says while playfully furrowing her eyebrows. The witch smirks before looking down at their hands. “But she’ll always come right back to you every time. I promise you that much.”

Freya slowly gazes up at Keelin and nods her head. “I never thought that daycare would be my biggest enemy yet,” she retorts causing the wolf to grin. “But I will loosen the grip just a little. Not too much, just enough.”

Keelin nods in satisfaction and pecks her cheek before yanking her down.

“Good cause I need your protective grip to get some decent sleep,” she quips as they begin to cuddle in the nirvana of their bed.  
________________________________________

Mikaela is eating her oatmeal while Freya’s irritability gets the best of her. Keelin saunters into the kitchen with Mikaela’s small backpack plastered with Princess Tiana on the front.

“Are you sure she _has_ to go,” the witch almost whines in all of her moody glory. Her girlfriend rolls her eyes at the question.

“Freya, for the umpteenth time, yes. Our daughter has to go to daycare. If I’m going back to my doctor duties then she has to get acquainted with the new environment. It’s important,” Keelin stresses.

The blonde watches her daughter intently with a look of uncertainty but eventually gives in. “Okay, but I’m not sure about not having her for a whole day just yet.” Keelin shakes her head with an amused smile. “You just don’t give up do you? Okay. How about we try out half of the day and see how it goes? If she likes it then you have to stop being the dad that won’t let his daughter go to prom. Sounds fair?”

The other woman considers the deal for a moment before nodding.

“Okay. But _only_ if she really likes it. Otherwise we’re going with my arrangement to teach her myself,” the blonde states with finality.

“Freya, you’re already teaching her magic. You’re going to take on her ABC’s as well?” The witch smiles proudly with a shrug. “Let’s see I’ve wrestled with dark forces and spent centuries escaping my evil aunt. I was able to defeat both my mother and aunt who were the most powerful witches of their time. I’ve saved my brothers from impending doom more times than I can count. So, as for reading, writing, and arithmetic? I mean how hard can it really be?”

“You are one stubborn and proud witch Freya Mikaelson,” Keelin retorts. The blonde grins widely. “But unfortunately, this is not a battle for you to win.”

Keelin goes to wipe Mikaela’s mouth and hands before lifting her out of her highchair. With one arm around the child’s back and the other dangling the backpack, she turns to face her girlfriend with a smirk. “I take it you’re going to tag along instead of sulking here alone after your goodbyes?”

Freya narrows her eyes at the woman before standing up from her seat at the table. “I’m driving,” she states before leading the way. Keelin raises an eyebrow before hurrying after her comically. “Freya, you’re not driving my car! You don’t even like driving,” she argues. Mikaela giggles as her mothers practically race out of the house and to the car awaiting them in the driveway.  
________________________________________

Keelin parks the charcoal grey sedan and turns around to address the smiling toddler seated behind Freya. “Ready for daycare Roo Roo,” she questions with her mommy talk. Mikaela bounces in the restraints of her car seat. “Daycare,” she repeats back to her mother causing her to smile brightly. Keelin then redirects her attention to the blonde sitting next to her. Freya is looking out the window as other parents take their toddlers into the building.

“And are you ready mama,” Keelin inquires of her girlfriend. 

“Well, it’s not like I have much of a choice do I,” the woman deadpans. “Oh, don’t be like that. We made a deal that you agreed to remember,” the werewolf reminds her. Freya widens her eyes only to let them fall just as quick. “Yeah, but I never said that I would enjoy the whole experience.” Keelin tilts her head at the woman as the toddler takes in her mother’s tone.

“Mama, sad,” she questions in a little voice while craning to look at her. Freya instantly closes her eyes in regret before unbuckling her seatbelt so that she can turn to face her daughter.

Upon providing her undivided attention, she summons a smile at the little girl with wide hazel eyes. “Mama’s not sad. Maybe a little worried to let you go but not sad. I want you to be happy and play with other friends that are your own size. I just want you to still be my friend though too,” Freya explains softly. Mikaela blinks at her mother. “Fwiends,” she repeats gaining an emotional smile from the witch who nods in return. “Yes, friends of your own. You can all be little kangaroos together. But of course, you’ll always be _my_ little kangaroo.”

Mikaela claps her hands excitedly. “Kangwoo, kangwoo,” she chants loudly. Keelin shakes her head with an unbreakable smile at the two loves of her life. 

“Wow, an unexpected turn of events. You’re actually pumping her up for daycare,” the wolf asks rhetorically with a chuckle. Freya peers down with a smile on her face. “Yeah, I guess so. I just want her to be happy Keelin. That’s all I ever want for her, to be safe _and_ happy,” she admits softly.

Keelin sits her hand on top of her girlfriend’s and gently squeezes before lowering her head at the woman. “I know and she’ll be forever grateful for that. Her happiness is a big priority for us both,” she says with a smile. Freya looks up at her with a halfhearted expression causing Keelin to tilt her head knowingly. “Let’s take her in before she’s late. She’s already the new kid on the block.” Freya nods her head in agreement.

Both parents exit from their respective side of the car. Freya opens the backdoor to unbuckle Mikaela and Keelin retrieves the small backpack from the one on her side. They come around the front of the vehicle to meet each other as they walk up the steps toward the building and into the front doors.

As the trio march through the hallway Mikaela looks in awe at the multitude of crayon drawings plastering the walls. “Mine,” she declares as Freya shakes her head.

“You will make your own okay?” The toddler nods slowly at her mother. “Okay,” she drags before quietly laying her head on the blonde’s shoulder. It takes the willpower of a thousand soldiers to keep the witch from turning back right then and there. How would she survive a minute without having this child in her arms or even immediately within arm’s reach?

Keelin finally stops at the classroom for one-year olds and looks over to Freya. 

“Well, here we are,” she announces. “Ready?” The taller woman nods prompting her to carefully open the door. They are immediately greeted with the sounds of children and a couple of parents. The carpeted room is spacious and filled with various toys all organized into different sections.

Learning guides are placed on every wall and there’s a sweet comfortable atmosphere surrounding the place. Keelin absolutely loves it already and Freya can’t help but acknowledge the genuine good vibe of the place. Even further, she feels another sort of energy there. Mikaela has already lifted her head at the colorful sounds reverberating within the space and starts to bounce within Freya’s arms.

A woman who appears to be in her late twenty’s looks over from her spot in front of a presumed parent and smiles brightly at the little family. She excuses herself and makes her way over to them, stopping closest to Keelin.

“Hi! I’m Bridget Samuels,” she greets while extending a hand. Keelin gladly shakes it with a smile. “I’m Keelin Murphy and this is my girlfriend, Freya Mikaelson,” she says in turn. Freya exchanges a hand shake with an unreadable expression while Bridget smiles back in realization with a nod. “Oh, yes we spoke on the phone! So, that must mean that this precious little thing is Mikaela Mikaelson.”

Mikaela reaches her little hand out to the woman who gladly shakes it with a chuckle. “Hey, sweetie. Looks like I’ll be spending a lot of time with you,” she exclaims before suddenly gasping playfully. “And your hair is so pretty, such a beautiful little girl.”

The toddler shoots her the mini Freya grin while crinkling her nose. “You, pwetty,” she says whimsically causing a blush to sweep the cheeks of all three adults. Keelin blurts out into laughter as Freya raises her eyebrows. “I really hope that with all the time she spends with you, your manner of flirting hasn’t rubbed off on her,” the werewolf quips.

Bridget genuinely snickers at the family banter as Freya shakes her head in protest at Keelin’s words. The woman’s giggle is actually a very sweet sound and both parents find themselves suddenly taking in their daughter’s observation.

She’s about 5’7” and slim built. There’s a certain glow to her smooth brown skin and her dark brown eyes are so shiny you can see stars in them. Her bone structure perfectly complements her short haircut and quite frankly she has the whitest teeth they’ve ever seen on a person. As she slows her giggling her face rests into a sort of portrait painting and her full lips curve into a wide smile.

Simply put, the young woman is gorgeous. Even in her current casual attire of a fitted white tee and blue jeans, something is alluring about her. There is a warm and inviting presence radiating from her. 

Suddenly Mikaela points to the stack of blocks sitting on the nearby play table.

“You want to play honey,” Bridget inquires sweetly. Freya, gauging the look in her daughter’s eyes shakes her head knowingly. “She’s saying that your laugh is yellow,” she informs. Quickly catching on, the woman straightens up in awe. “That’s amazing that you’ve caught on to her synesthesia so early. Most people don’t realize it until later on,” she commends.

Freya nods with a sort of pride and Keelin smirks at this whole encounter. “Well, as you can see here I’m perfectly dressed for a little project we’re about to start. We’re doing…finger paints,” the shorthaired woman exclaims excitedly at the toddler who mimics her crazy hands. “Nontoxic, of course,” she adds a side note for the parents.

“Funny,” Mikaela yells. Bridget nods in pride. “Why, thank you pretty princess.” She looks over to Keelin with a smile. “I can take her bag now if you’d like.” The werewolf graciously hands the item over to the caretaker who playfully gasps yet again.

“Princess Tiana? I love her! Is she your favorite,” she asks the toddler. Hazel eyes light up with excitement. “Tiana!” Bridget laughs lightly. “Okay, I see we’ve got another Disney princess girl in the room. Luckily I have lots of movies to share.” The woman beams at Freya and Keelin.

“Do the mommies want to say goodbye now?”

The witch and the werewolf both look at each other. “So, are you rethinking that half day now,” Keelin queries. Freya bites her lip in brief thought. Now she wasn’t so worried about the environment but her selfish desire to be close to her baby still tugged at her heart.

“I think a half day is still in order. We did make a deal,” she finally responds. Her girlfriend rolls her eyes in disbelief. The woman’s overprotective nature would be the death of her. Bridget smiles nonetheless.

“No problem at all. So, let’s say a pick-up time of one o’clock. I’ll let you guys have your moment while I go fish out another little t-shirt for Miss Mikaela.”

As the woman leaves Keelin turns to face her girlfriend with a tilt of her head.

“Really, Freya? You couldn’t just go with the obvious good flow of things? I can already tell that she’ll love it here and so can you.”

“I just want to be sure about this, that’s all,” the blonde states with a shake of her head. “She’s my pride and joy.” The witch softly kisses the child in her arms as she plays with the string from her shirt. Keelin rolls her eyes incredulously.

“No, you just want to control the situation per usual. God, that Mikaelson blood runs deep. Hopefully, she inherits my healthy optimism and sharp wit,” the wolf retorts before holding out her arms for her daughter.

Freya passes the toddler over and watches intently as Keelin looks down upon her. “Okay, baby. Me and mama are going to leave you to play with your new friends. Miss Bridget will take very good care of you okay?” Mikaela bobs her head up and down. “Okay.” Keelin nods as well. “If something is wrong, mommy will come right back alright?” The toddler listens intently. “Awight,” she mimics.

The blonde defensively crosses her arms with a sullen expression as she looks on at the pair. 

“Okay. Now give mommy kisses.” Mikaela plants a big kiss on Keelin’s mouth before wrapping her arms around her neck. “You’re going to be a big girl for me, right?” The toddler only nods in affirmation as she continues to grip her mother tightly. “Good.”

Keelin shoots Freya a look from over her daughter’s shoulder causing her to look down to the floor. When Mikaela finally pulls away, she turns toward her other mother. “Mama?” Her sparkly hazel orbs peer over at the witch who looks up at her in regret. This was the moment she was dreading but it needed to be done. A deal was a deal.

So, she moves in closer and grabs her little hand, softly shaking it. “Mama’s gonna leave for a little while okay? You’ll be good for me, right?” She hugs the child tightly while she’s still in Keelin’s arms and kisses the top of her head. 

“I love you, Roo Roo,” she softly declares.

“I wuv you,” the tiny voice drawls.

The witch smiles at the sweet little voice and kisses her daughter again. Bridget approaches with a mini t-shirt in hand.

“Everything all set,” she asks considerately. Freya nods as she crosses her arms and Keelin sets Mikaela down to her feet. “She’s ready to go,” the werewolf states with a grin. “Great! So, I’ll see you at one o’clock then,” Bridget confirms before looking down to the toddler. “Come on, sweetie. We’ve got some cool things planned, wanna see?”

The child nods furiously and walks the short distance to grab the hand offered to her. The woman looks up at the parents with care.

“Don’t worry. First days are the hardest but she’s in good hands. She’ll be fine,” she assures them both. “Thank you,” Keelin supplies. Bridget nods accordingly before leading Mikaela over to the other group of toddlers. The werewolf instinctively knits her fingers into her girlfriend’s before laying her head on the woman’s shoulder.

“She’s growing up so fast. I know you’re feeling the pull right now but this is what’s best for her,” she whispers. 

They look on in observation as they watch their bouncing little girl fearlessly interact with her classmates and help Bridget sit the small containers of paint around the table. Little Mikaela Mikaelson even accepts a hug from another little girl. It absolutely endears both parents.

While Keelin is thinking about how lucky she is to have such a beautiful and bright little child, Freya is pondering on how it was even possible for her to create such a warm being. She silently prayed every day that her daughter would never end up like her, damaged goods. If she could never completely save herself then she would protect Mikaela from ever getting too close to her own tortured fate.

Her plan for the little girl was already in motion seeing as that she was giving her things that she had so desperately wanted as a child. She was giving her a mother, a family that loved her and breathed her as life itself. She was loved and cared for and didn’t have to wonder about whether or not she mattered in the world. 

Mikaela is her entire universe and that would always be so.  
________________________________________

Freya is hovering over her long wooden work table.

Focusing on the task was proving to be a bit hard due to her current emotional state. As soon as she had finally stopped worrying about Mikaela being away at daycare, her true dark thoughts had pushed their way back in again. There had to be a way to cure herself of her curse but what she was constantly met with was none.

In a burst of rage, she sweeps the items occupying the table onto the floor with her arm. A candle burns her skin and instinctively she examines it. A bad memory invades her mind.

**_“For conceiving a monstrosity with a disgusting wolf, I charge you with heresy. It is against every belief, every value we hold dear and you’ve spat on it. I mean it’s bad enough we have those beasts running around with a means to our demise. What would this half breed do? Curse us with its wretched spells and dawdling necrosis?”_ **

**_“Well I could only hope so.”_ **

**_“Now you burn. Give her three for her perfect little family. I want the last punishment initiated by me.”_ **

She mindlessly touches the spot as if she can still feel the mark of her torture, as if it’s even still there. Her endless thoughts begin hammering into her head. 

_What if this is the only life you’re meant for? What if everything you love and hold dear does die because of you?_

_To live is to fight every waking moment because someone like you doesn’t deserve peace and happiness. You only bring pain, misery, and death._

_Your soul doesn’t even belong to you, you know. It was destroyed a long time ago._

“Stop it,” she yells into the quiet space of the farm shed. Her chest heaves and she covers her face with her hands. Maybe it’s the atmosphere getting to her. She had been dealing with the guilt pretty well when she was here so it couldn’t just be that could it?

When they had first moved to the quaint village of Allentown, Freya was instantly in search of a new lair to practice her magic in. She was in a race with time but of course unable to begin her work in their new home. There was obviously the back pile of secrets and the safety issue that kept her from that option. 

But also, she thrived in seclusion and quiet. It was the way that she had learned to live early on in her life. Dahlia had made sure of that by reminding a young Freya of just how wicked her wrath could be when she became unsatisfied. It all stuck with her if she was being completely honest with herself.

So, one day when she went exploring in the woods behind their home she had stumbled across a farm shed. It wasn’t really that old, pretty new actually but it housed a strong malicious energy around it. Later, she would find out that it was the scene of one of the only violent crimes committed in the town. She adopted it as her new hideout and proceeded to sneak away whenever she could.

Finally, she releases her face and shuffles over to the small coffee table supporting various bottles. She shakily pours a small glass of rum and downs the fireball in an instant. It’s only a little past eleven o’clock in the morning but the laws of civility are long past her.

It was something that she needed, it narcotized her pain and guilt. It left her feeling warm instead of the usual blizzard of her insides. But she knows how to keep it under control. There are very few times when she sets herself on fire by “wine”. Keelin knew all too well that a Freya drunk without her, meant a Freya in deep pain and confusion usually attributed to the drudging up of her past. She wants to steer clear of that conversation altogether. So, she does a few drinks, slaps herself back to her senses, and continues on with her burning will.

Another glass is poured and she downs it just as fast before moving to pick up her mess from the floor. Sometimes it was feeling like she was picking her spirit off of the floor. Suddenly, her phone alerts her to a message. She checks it and finds a text from her girlfriend.

**KEELIN**

_Hey. I was just thinking about you and I hope you’re okay. If you can pull yourself away from your hiding place, how about lunch?_

Freya smiles at her phone just thinking about the woman’s thoughtfulness. The invitation is a break she so desperately needs but even the little gesture makes her feel guilty all over again. She shouldn’t be off having sweet lunch dates or any sort of leisure time. There was virtually no time to correct her unforgivable mistakes let alone eat a meal. No, that time was spent on the four-month vacation they had upon leaving New Orleans. 

They were in need of a home and Keelin had thought it’d be a fun idea to travel until they settled on a new place. It was such a joyous time that Freya had nearly forgotten the true danger she had put them in. She had allowed herself to truly be happy with her family. It was all short lived though and not to her surprise.

Right now, she’s remembering the act she has to put up and decides that pleasing her girlfriend is the only option. So, she types out a reply of feigned acceptance and finishes up her task.  
________________________________________

“You barely ate anything, is everything okay?”

The couple is walking, hand in hand to go pick up their daughter from daycare. It’s a beautiful day and Keelin thought it would be the perfect time to take a walk through the gorgeous town. Freya, herself is indifferent to cars so she agreed without putting up any sort of fight. The time they were spending taking in the sights of the place was actually nice and soothing. 

Freya looks over at the woman with a faint hint of a smile. “I’m fine. I guess I just wasn’t all that hungry. But thank you, it was nice of you to tear me away for a little while,” she says appreciatively. The werewolf observes her intensely. 

“If there was something wrong you’d tell me, right? You know that you never have to do anything alone with me here. And I’m starting to get weary about whatever you’re working on in your hideaway,” the wolf remarks before gasping. “Are you building a sanctuary? I mean you won’t even let me visit there.”

The blonde shakes her head at the woman’s antics. 

“You never even want to come. I’m not stopping you,” she throws back. Keelin smiles from being called out. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m not a huge fan of all the witchy things and now I don’t need it as an excuse to see you. I just call and tell you that I have the goods,” the werewolf retorts while wiggling her eyebrows. Freya rolls her eyes dramatically as Keelin giggles adorably before abruptly stopping them on the sidewalk. Freya raises her eyebrows in confusion.

“I…dare you to kiss me right here, right now,” Keelin says with confidence. The blonde’s eyes slightly widen at the challenge. “Okay, you obviously had one too many glasses of wine with your salad,” she responds but her girlfriend shakes her head in denial. 

“Nope. I did not. I had one, or maybe two and a half but I’m fine,” the werewolf corrects. “That’s quite the leap. Like I said, one too many,” the witch retorts. Keelin wraps her arms around Freya’s midsection while looking up at her dangerously.

“It’s not like you don’t want to do it anyway,” she pushes with a sly grin. “And besides I’m so cute.” She smiles so widely that her eyes squint.

“I can think of a lot of things you are right now. But since…you are cute I suppose,” the blonde offers up. 

Freya leans down and plants a sweet kiss on the awaiting lips of her girlfriend who smiles into it. After several seconds, they pull away with brown eyes pouring into green eyes.

“Satisfied,” the witch inquires. The werewolf happily nods her head. “Very.” The couple resume their walk until they approach the familiar building and enter. Strolling down the hallway, they reach the classroom before slipping into the extremely quiet space. The toddlers are preparing for naptime in a sea of animated character-themed blankets. Bridget makes her way over to the pair with Mikaela grasping her hand.

“Hey! This one was the perfect little helper and all-around angel. I’m so sad to see her go already,” the woman gushes. Both parents look down at the little girl with proud faces. Bridget passes the tiny backpack over to Keelin who accepts it thankfully. “Wanna say goodbye now Roo Roo,” Keelin asks the child. Mikaela lets go of her caregiver’s hand and hugs the side of her leg.

“Oh, thank you sweets,” Bridget exclaims affectionately. Keelin reaches out to the toddler who immediately comes over to be lifted up. 

“Well, thank you so much for taking such great care of her. She loves it here already,” the werewolf beams. Bridget brushes it off instantly with a wave of her hand. “It was no problem at all. Your little sweetheart made it too easy. Bye now Mikaela. I’ll see you tomorrow okay?”

Mikaela mimics Bridget’s waving and bobs her head. “Okay,” the child drawls. “Okay, you guys. Bye!” 

Freya leads the way out as Keelin and Mikaela follow suit. The family walks down the hallway and out into the rays of sunshine before the witch finally addresses her daughter.

“So, how was it? Did you have fun?” The toddler bounces in her mother’s arms. “Funny,” she exclaims loudly. Keelin turns to Freya with a wide grin. “Told you she’d love it.” She redirects her attention to the little girl in her arms. “So, is mama going to hold up her end of the deal,” she playfully inquires before kissing her daughter on the head.

The witch rolls her eyes before glancing at the child. She looks so happy and full of life. It drowns her heart in utter endearment to see. She couldn’t bear to take that away from her ever. A sigh escapes her as she surrenders. Her girlfriend chuckles knowingly. “Okay. Mikaela can stay, no half days necessary. At least for now,” the blonde declares. Keelin rolls her eyes at the last bit.

“Uh uh, Freya Mikaelson. A deal is a deal. She’s staying permanently and it’s out of your hands. Mommy has to get back to getting her own hands dirty,” the wolf affirms.

The Murphy-Mikaelson clan promenades down the street toward their home with contentment.


	3. LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin is confronted with a reminder of Mikaela's werewolf heritage and Freya finally removes her brand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Yates - Mercury: Freya prepares to remove her brand; Memory of Keelin discovering Freya's brand in the shower.
> 
> 2) Tulpa & BLANKTS - Blueblack: Keelin tends to a patient and then thinks about her job offer to work at the hospital.
> 
> 3) AURORA - Runaway: Keelin sees the first appearance of Mikaela's wolf eyes.
> 
> 4) BROOKFIELD - Seas of Gold: Freya and Keelin talk about Mikaela's heritage and fate.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/
> 
> Check out my tumblr if you wanna see what Mikaela looks like at this point! And also Keelin's bloodline/family tree.

With the abundance of time she has freed up, Freya has been working nonstop to lift her marking. When Keelin goes to work at the town’s doctor office, she is left with the task of taking Mikaela to daycare. Sometimes Keelin can pick the child up after but depending on the flow of patients she can be held up as late as seven o’clock at night. This then leaves Freya to also pick their daughter up at five o’clock.

Currently, she’s twirling an enchanted blade around in the flame of one of her candles. While she still hasn’t made the breakthrough of unmarking her blood, she has finally found a way to remove the brand from her skin. Previously, in the heat of the moment she and Keelin had found themselves in an intimate situation involving the shower. It had completely slipped her mind that she was sporting a cursed symbol on her back. When the werewolf had noticed it, things got extremely tense for her.

**_“Um, Freya? Did you get a super sexy but also mildly creepy tattoo without telling me?”_ **

**_Keelin pauses midway through her trail of kisses pressed upon the witch’s back. Green eyes widen at the sudden remark. Her muscles tense as the hot water sprinkles down on her. Whipping around, she pulls the werewolf into a heated kiss that has the woman falling back into the wall behind them. Freya’s hand pushes against the spot above Keelin’s head to steady them until the latter gently pushes against her collarbone._ **

**_The wolf flips her wet curls back and gazes at the blonde suspiciously. “If you wanted to shut me up you could’ve just asked. No need for the intense sidestepping,” she states._ **

**_Freya shakes her head before backing into the water flow and running her hands over her face._ **

**_The smaller woman bites her lip before deciding to come closer to her girlfriend. She takes the few tentative steps until she’s standing right in her space causing the blonde to gaze down at her. Finally, she regains her composure. “It’s temporary,” the witch finally admits. It’s a half-truth but still a truth nonetheless. She was going to lift the curse and the brand would be gone. So, until then it would be a temporary element. The werewolf tilts her head. “So, you’re wearing a temporary tattoo? Why?”_ **

**_“It’s just a reminder of a stupid mistake,” Freya provides with a shake of her head. They were more half-truths. Keelin ponders the vagueness of the taller woman’s reasoning but decides to toss it aside. She’s too turned on right now to even read too much into the mysterious nature of the witch. So, she doesn’t and instead lightly drags her fingernails across the skin of her girlfriend’s hips._ **

**_“At least it’s a very attractive reminder and I’m bummed you didn’t ask me to get a matching one,” Keelin jokes._ **

**_The blonde gulps inaudibly at the ignorance of the statement before summoning her control and confidence. Her hand reaches up to tangle in thick locks, lightly grabbing the bundles causing the werewolf’s excitement to grow. After all, moments like these are the only times she thoroughly enjoys the controlling quality of the woman._ **

**_“I guess I will have to make it up to you somehow,” Freya replies in a sultry tone. Keelin nods like a kid in a candy store and instantly welcomes the soft lips that attack her own._**  
Freya had gotten lucky that time. It was beyond foolish to have such a slip up. When she was first branded it didn’t take her too long to figure out a way to conceal it. There were plenty of glamor spells in the wake of a world full of vanity. Unfortunately, hiding this particular mark proved to have its own drawbacks seeing as none of the spells lasted too long. 

In the morning, she would spell it and then again at night before it got too late. It was the perfect routine to ensure that her deadly reminder was never revealed and that she, herself never had to lay eyes on it.

But now she finally has the means to rid herself of it once and for all. 

The witch sets the weapon down onto a cloth now that it’s properly sanitized and heated. With an intake of breath, she downs the glass of whiskey with a look of distaste. She shakes her head and rolls her shoulders back to ready herself. Reaching down, she tugs her sleeveless shirt up and over her head before sitting on the table she moved directly in front of the large mirror. Her form is twisted around to get a full view of her target. A breath releases into the air while she firmly grasps the dagger.

The sharp point of the tool is pressed to the surface of her back and she applies the pressure needed until it begins slicing through her soft skin. A grunt pushes out of her as the pain sets into her nerves. With precision, she carves out the branded flesh. 

The discomfort of the burning and aching sensations causes her to slightly bow her head with silent pleas for relief. Teeth sink into the skin of her lips, threatening to draw blood there. 

It’s worse than her last torturous encounter but it would have to be endured. Finally, her steady hand loops around the last inch of the spherical symbol. Blood is flowing down the bottom of her back like interconnecting life lines. Her panting fires out of her lungs as her body is able to relax.

Suddenly there’s a glow appearing as a ring of white light in the spot that she had just been traumatized and the blade glows along with it. Within a few moments the brand dissolves into her flesh leaving no evidence but her own blood. A grin of success graces her features before she sucks her bottom lip in. She lays her head on the glass while catching her breath.  
________________________________________

“Next time try to watch where you’re going alright? These things are dangerous kid. _Also_ , maybe stay in school okay? That’s why you’re in this mess in the first place.”

Keelin scolds the rugged preteen in exasperation as she helps him up onto his crutches. The boy had skipped school to go skateboard around the village and found himself on the unfortunate end of a failed trick. The action had given him the gift of a broken leg and indefinite grounding by the looks of his mother. The older woman standing nearby has the scariest scowl the werewolf has even been in the presence of and that’s saying a lot.

“Oh, he’s in a whole lot of mess that’s for sure,” the mother comments. Keelin clicks her tongue with a shake of her head.

“I told you so,” she instigates. “This is not your first offense bud. No way I can at least get mom to go easy on you.”

The boy shakes his head with a light eye roll obviously annoyed with his parent. “Thank you,” he offers before moving over toward his mother as she opens the door for him. Keelin nods her head in short as she watches them leave.

The day has been slow and very much uneventful. So much so that she had opted to text her girlfriend for some good conversation. However, it was just her luck to be on the receiving end of radio silence. The witch had failed to respond to her greeting, joke and love declaration. It could only mean that she was knee deep into her magical affairs and Keelin could only feel the hint of an internal eye roll at the thought. 

She was miserably bored, well that is until the boy had come barreling into the office. 

Her boss, a slightly uptight white-haired man by the name of Dr. Puri had decided that the case was more up her alley. He had become complacent in seeing his regulars and handing out prescriptions. In fact, he was notable for sending other patients with certain ailments to the hospital. She had been surprised that he had even allowed her to see the kid because of his lifestyle. He lived for the quiet simplicity and that could not be further from what Keelin set out to do as a doctor.

Recently, she had been presented with an opportunity to work at the hospital. She was ecstatic before thinking too deeply about her daughter. The little girl is older and more independent but she is still her little baby. She doesn’t feel like she’s quite old enough to spend so much time away from just yet. Emergency room hours can be grueling and demanding. It wasn’t just about herself now. Her life now belongs to the child by the name of Mikaela Mikaelson. She couldn’t just jump to be the free busy bird that she used to be over a year ago and all those years before. 

So, here she was doing the more sophisticated form of her line of work. It just didn’t feel like her. But for some reason her mild-mannered superior was keen on her and had convinced her to take on another approach. He actually wanted her at his home office which was far beyond her comprehension as to why.

The werewolf exits the room and makes her way up to the doctor’s study. As she peeks in through the cracked door she finds the space completely abandoned. She enters and stalks up to the man’s desk, opting to mindlessly fiddle with the name tag that reads _“DR. JACOB PURI, MD”_. The sound of a throat clearing suddenly startles her and she straightens up awkwardly to turn toward the man. He raises an eyebrow at her presence.

“Um, it’s pretty slow here and I just finished up with the Davidson kid,” she states with widened eyes. The man looks back at her with a blank expression.

“Hm. Well then I suppose there’s no point in you wandering around here and snooping. You’re free to go,” he relinquishes before moving around his desk. Keelin raises her eyebrows as she backs away.

“Oh. Well okay. I’ll see you,” she replies. With her parting words, she goes back to the room she previously occupied and grabs her bag. Looking at the time on her phone she sees that it’s only three o’clock, meaning that she still had a couple hours before it was time to get Mikaela from daycare. Of course, she could get her at any time but she wanted the toddler to get the full experience of her added environment that they were paying for. But she was definitely missing her and her mysterious girlfriend had still yet to respond. With the options weighing over her she decides that it wouldn’t hurt to go visit her daughter.

So, she slings her bag over her shoulder and makes her way to the front door, stepping out into the bright sunlight.  
________________________________________

Keelin enters the classroom and carefully closes the door behind her.

A wide smile graces her lips as she finds the group of one-year olds huddling together for photos. All the tiny little humans are creating a cuteness overload for her, especially one in particular. 

It doesn’t take her long to spot her pint-sized miracle standing in the front row looking adorable in her white t-shirt and jeans with little Chuck Taylor’s. She’s sporting two little ponytails with orange ribbons tied to them as she listens intently to her teacher.

Over the course of a few weeks, the child had taken a liking to the beautiful Bridget Samuels. Actually, that would be a huge understatement for the werewolf to propose. Mikaela is quite blatantly infatuated if not borderline at the feet of the woman. Keelin finds it beyond endearing to see that someone could have that effect on her already.  
The little girl now calls her “B.B.” which had the caretaker in tears of joy and laughter upon first hearing it uttered by the toddler. If Keelin is being honest she still believes that her daughter is actually attempting to call the poor unsuspecting woman her “baby” but either way she was dying from the affectionate display. 

Currently, the class is finishing up the group photos and are starting up the solo shots. A couple of parents file in behind Keelin and take up their places to watch with endeared grins of their own. The werewolf watches as little Mikaela stalks over to the welcoming arms of Bridget and stands at the appointed spot to get her picture taken. The mother beams but tilts her head at the displeased look on her daughter’s little face. Freya’s broody genes were definitely starting to set into the otherwise happy little kangaroo. The child’s features are resembling that of a serious model at a cover shoot and it has Keelin shaking her head.

Bridget stands by as the person manning the camera starts snapping a few shots. During the third or fourth shot, Keelin finds herself thrown into a blow of shock. 

There before her eyes she sees the shift of indifferent hazel pools into mystical amber spheres. Not exactly the same shade or solid look of her own golden wolf eyes, but still the mystical occurrence nonetheless. It knocks the wind out of her and the smile right off of her face. She hastily looks around and discovers that no one else had seemed to notice but it does little to ease the feeling in her gut. If she had it her way she’d march up and take her baby right out of there but she knows she can’t cause a scene especially with no other witnesses to the situation. So, she crosses her arms to hold in all of hammering anxiety.

Mikaela finishes up her photos and Bridget directs her over to Keelin who promptly unfolds her arms so that she can use them to envelope the child racing towards her. Bridget is close behind and stops right in front of the pair with a bright smile.

“I was just checking in on my little munchkin,” Keelin explains with a slightly uneasy grin. The other woman supplies a grin of her own but tilts her head and Keelin prays that she isn’t on to her erupting emotions.

“And just in time for pictures. We’re going to put them up on the wall outside,” Bridget states. Keelin nods slowly. “I’m sorry she didn’t give you any good ones. She’s starting to take on more than her mama’s daring behavior and flirting now,” she jokes lightly. The taller woman chuckles. “It’s fine. She can always go again after everyone else if she’s feeling up to it. I’m getting the feeling that she isn’t too fond of taking pictures though,” Bridget observes with a shrug.

“She does. Once she gets over the moodiness she’ll be bouncing around at the chance to see her own face. But I think I’m going to just go ahead and take her now. I think she misses her best friend.”

“Oh, of course. No problem. I’ll just go grab her things quickly,” Bridget offers. Keelin nods with a small smile and looks at the pouting child in her arms. The teacher walks away to go collect Mikaela’s belongings leaving the werewolf with her daughter. She gently rocks her back and forth.

“What’s the matter, Roo Roo? You tired,” she softly inquires. The little girl gives no response which worries her more. “Hey, you’re okay. Wanna see mama? Mama’s probably waiting for you right now.” Mikaela looks up at her then.

“Mama,” she questions with a still solemn look.

“Yeah, mama. She misses you soo much,” the werewolf affirms.

Bridget returns with Mikaela’s backpack and a popsicle project she had made. Keelin takes the things graciously. “Welp. Here’s the time I dread the most. I hate saying goodbye to my loyal helper,” Bridget remarks while looking at the child. “B.B.” The toddler says the nickname with such urgency it surprises both women.

“Yes?” The woman takes the little outstretched hand into her own with a soft smile. “Miss you,” the little girl drawls with shiny eyes. Bridget places her free hand to her chest. “I’ll miss you too sweetheart. But I’ll see you tomorrow okay?”

Mikaela lays her head on her mother’s shoulder. “Okay,” she mimics. Bridget releases a puff of air before fixing her gaze to Keelin.

“She really does put you through it huh?” The werewolf gives her an apologetic look. “Intensity runs in the family,” she supplies with transparency. “I see. Well, I’ll let you get to it. I’ll be seeing you soon.” Keelin smiles. “Bye.”

The mother and daughter turn away quickly and make their way out of the door, both struggling with their newfound emotions.  
________________________________________

Keelin pushes the front door open and carries Mikaela into their home. A voice immediately calls from the kitchen. “Good, you’re home! I was just going to text you about what you want for dinner. I was thinking takeout,” the blonde presents before entering the family room. She notices the creases on her girlfriend’s forehead and instantly approaches her while placing a hand on the back of the child between them.

“Is everything okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Green eyes are shining with concern and Keelin looks down at the child wrapped around her. Freya rubs the toddler’s back softly.

“You both seem…off,” she adds in observation. “I’m worried.”

“I’m not taking the hospital job,” Keelin replies with sad eyes. The blonde tilts her head in question and the wolf sighs deeply. “I just…I just can’t. Not with Mikaela needing me and all the work involved. I just…can’t. I don’t know,” she explains while frantically shaking her head. The witch moves her hands to the woman’s shoulder and squeezes softly.

“Keelin. This is everything you wanted. You got me on board with the daycare situation and you finally have your chance to do what you love. What changed in less than twenty-four hours,” she asks in a soothing tone. The werewolf closes her eyes.

“I saw Mikaela’s wolf eyes,” she admits simply.

Freya opens her mouth to speak but quickly closes it and furrows her eyebrows before shaking her head.

“Keelin, are you sure? I mean it’s way too early for that to be happening,” she tries. Keelin suddenly opens her eyes and intensely gazes at the woman in front of her. 

“I know what I saw, Freya. I got off work early because it was slow and I went to go visit her. They were taking pictures and I _saw_ it happen. Thankfully only _I_ saw them, nobody else seemed to notice. They weren’t exactly animalistic enough to be alarming so I guess she can be grateful for that huh?”

The bitterness of the woman’s tone at the end alerts Freya to her girlfriend’s doubts setting in. Her mind flashes through the conversations they had before and after their daughter’s birth. She knows that the woman is scared to death that their child will end up going through all of the things that she did. It hurts her heart to see her in such distress. She, herself deeply understands the refusal to allow the little girl to inherit the fates that they’ve endured in their own lives. They both want more for their little miracle, better. They needed for her to have the _very_ best.

“If this is true then we can take the steps needed to get through it,” the witch states. Keelin scoffs. “Freya, she’s already getting her moods. You _know_ what comes after that. There’s a huge risk hanging over her now. With her magic, I’m just so scared about what could happen,” the wolf admits sadly. The blonde brings her into her arms with the toddler pressed firmly between them. “Hey. We _will_ get through this. She’s not going to live through the same things as you. We will do everything in our power to ensure that,” she declares firmly.

“What if she’ll live through worse because of who she is, _what_ she is. She’s already a hybrid so rare that we know virtually _nothing_ about it. And on top of that the way she was conceived was a one in a million phenomenon. I can’t help but wonder if she was predestined for a painful life from the very beginning,” Keelin cries. 

Her words stab at the witch for keeping their daughter’s destiny a dirty secret. The woman was exactly right and didn’t even know it. However, she had righted that wrong as soon as she had found the possibility. Unfortunately, she had created other wrongs in the process. 

This moment is a shining example of why it was so hard for her to tell her girlfriend in the first place. She couldn’t risk breaking down the already damaged woman. She was far too important and special. Unlike Freya, she had used her pain and struggle to help others. The witch only sunk deeper into her darkness. She was inclined to believe that by having such a woman as great as Keelin by her side, she was being saved from the ever-present blackhole of her darkest thoughts and emotions. 

The witch shakes her head before looking deeply into her girlfriend’s terrified eyes.

“You won’t like this Keelin but…what if you were to embrace her werewolf heritage,” she proposes. “You could teach her about part of herself instead of living in fear. Werewolves are fearless creatures after all and she should know that.”

“I’m not teaching her about a long history of violence and fighting. I don’t want that for her,” Keelin argues.

“Keelin, you’re looking at this from one angle. Last time I checked not every witch is the perfect fairy godmother but you let her watch those movies. _I’m_ not the good witch of any story yet you’re letting me raise her. Allowing her to only know one side of who she is won’t help her. You can’t just cling to the side of her that’s more human. It doesn’t work like that,” Freya softly counters. 

“You could never tell me how living with the werewolf curse works, Freya.”  
________________________________________

**__**

FLASHBACK

**__**

“Come on, Keelin!”

**__**

The young girl looks up to find her older cousin waiting for her a few feet away. The girl motions for her to tag along. She shakes her head before turning back to her slightly younger cousin sitting right across from her in the grass.

**__**

“She just wants you to go be stupid with the rest of them,” the younger girl remarks.

**__**

“Well, I don’t want to. Chris will only get us into trouble anyway,” Keelin states. The younger girl plays with her curls.

**__**

“Man, I hate him. He thinks he’s better because he’s going to be some big alpha. I don’t care. I’m tired of all the fighting.”

**__**

Keelin nods in agreement as the older girl comes over to stand tall above them. “I was telling you to come to the creek with me Keelin. Come on,” she begs. The werewolf pulls up some grass and tosses it. “I told you that I don’t wanna go,” she stresses with a sigh.

**__**

“Leave her alone Tara.” The older girl tilts her head incredulously at the smallest relative. “Oh, shut up Sasha. Keelin was my cousin before you came along and she will be long after your head explodes from being a basket case,” Tara retorts. Sasha crosses her arms in annoyance.

**__**

“I really don’t like you,” she remarks. Tara makes a face at her. “I really don’t care,” she mocks. 

**__**

“Guys, stop it,” Keelin requests. The older girl redirects her attention to her favorite cousin.

**__**

“You know that I’ll look out for you. I’ll always look out for you. Just please come. Please.” 

**__**

The girl pokes out her bottom lip and clasps her hands as she pleads with the younger girl. Keelin rolls her eyes before sighing.

**__**

“Yes,” the older girl celebrates without a verbal response from her cousin. “Let’s go! They’re going on the tire swing,” she informs her excitedly. Keelin stands up and dusts her shorts off while the smaller girl pouts from her spot on the ground. Tara regards her with a roll of her eyes.

**__**

“If you’re gonna come then you better stop being a baby. Nobody wants to be around you when you do that,” Tara says with a shrug.

**__**

“Tara, stop,” Keelin orders.

**__**

“What? I’m just sayin’.”

**__**

Keelin looks down at her younger cousin with a soft expression. “Are you coming?” The girl mumbles to herself as she gets up to dust off her blue jeans. Tara grins in satisfaction. “Great, now hurry up,” the eldest remarks before leading the way. Her walking soon picks up to running as the younger girls hurry after her.

**__**

“Slow down,” Keelin yells.

**__**

The trio arrive at the body of water to find their other cousins. Tara steps up to a boy and a girl.

**__**

“What is Chris up there doing with Tony? He knows that he’s scared of heights,” the girl inquires. The other girl shakes her head. “He’s trying to make him swing into the water.” Tara cups her hands around her mouth. “Hey, idiot! Let him go! He’s scared,” she calls. The taller boy at the top of the makeshift wooden structure shrugs.

**__**

“I dared him! If he doesn’t do it then he’s a little punk,” Chris calls back down to his cousin. 

**__**

Tara turns to her two cousins. “Can I get some help here?” The other two call up to Chris who only ignores them as he taunts the boy.

**__**

“Come on. I don’t have all day,” he pushes. “Just give me a second,” Tony throws back. Chris starts becoming aggressive with his pushing and everyone looks on in anticipation. Sasha clings to Keelin who is becoming weary of the scene above her. “Hey, stop it Chris! Seriously before I come up there,” the other boy threatens from his place next to Tara and the girl. Chris only laughs.

**__**

“Shut up, Jason!”

**__**

He pushes the boy dangerously toward the edge of the platform. Everybody is suddenly on edge.

**__**

“Hey, asshole! We said stop it! Stop it before we go get aunt Josephine,” Tara threatens. “Let him go! Now!”

**__**

“Fine,” Chris screams.

**__**

With one strong push, he sends the boy stumbling off of the edge and falling down below. Nearly all of the kids scream and watch in horror as the boy descends from the structure. His body strikes the rocks underneath and the impact causes his head to crack open. Sasha immediately whips her head away from the scene but Keelin watches in horror, unable to move due to the shock. The sound of bone crushing against the boulder echoes within her mind.

**__**

Everyone seems to look up in unison and sees their aggressive cousin looking down at them.

**__**

“You idiot! Look what you did! You’re crazy,” Tara yells at him in anger and shock.

**__**

Chris begins to grunt and falls to his knees. His eyes brighten with an amber glow and he breathes heavily with a grin. The sight seems to disturb all five cousins below. “He has lost it,” the girl next to Tara whispers. “He’s just a monster,” Tara retorts. “I hope you’re happy because aunt Josephine won’t be,” she yells.

**__**

**_Keelin looks from her obviously invigorated cousin down to the lifeless body sprawled across the large rocks several feet away. A deep fear settles into her bones. Right then and there she swears not to ever become the monsters that surround her.  
_** ________________________________________

Keelin washes her plate after barely eating her takeout as Freya saddles up next to her.

“I didn’t mean to imply that I understand everything you went through. I know it’s not my place,” Freya tries. She has never been the best with apologies and she doesn’t know where to begin when the woman has been silent for over an hour. Keelin shakes her head. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Suddenly she halts her actions and turns to face the taller woman. “I’m just projecting onto Mikaela and I don’t want to be that person but it’s hard,” she admits.

The blonde tilts her head at her girlfriend. “My parents were all ‘yay go pack’ and that didn’t really work in my favor. I always felt like something was wrong with me because I didn’t share the same pride and interest in their affairs.” The werewolf looks down as the other woman listens intently, hanging on to every word. Keelin has never truly divulged in the details surrounding her family. All Freya knew was that she came from a strong bloodline, she had parents, siblings, and loved her grandmother and aunt. 

She could tell that it brought her an immense pain to talk about them with no censorship. In fact, she only knows the things that she does because of their pillow talk during intimate moments. All of the feelings and emotions would cause truths to come tumbling out of the werewolf. She felt vulnerable and comfortable enough to share such raw things with her soulmate. And each time Freya held onto every ounce of it like she’s doing now.

“My father was especially proud about his heritage and only saw it fit that his children felt the same,” Keelin states before smiling sadly to herself. “You could say that I was the odd one out. All of the gossip spread like wildfire. ‘Have you heard that Hayes has a daughter that refuses to be a wolf? Yeah she vowed to never activate her stupid gene.’ I felt lonely, misunderstood and unknown,” she finishes.

Freya immediately steps closer to the woman and cradles her face in her hands. With all of her vulnerability screaming at her, Keelin can’t help but lean into the touch. 

“I _never_ want my daughter to feel that way,” she stresses with closed eyes. “Hey.” Keelin opens her eyes to gaze at her girlfriend. The witch lowers her head slightly to reach her eye level. “She will _never_ feel lonely. She will never _be_ lonely with us because we know what that feels like. She will never know what it feels like to not have a mother or to not be cared for. She will only know love, acceptance, and happiness.”

The witch carefully slips her hands away to grab at Keelin’s. “But that starts with you accepting all of her. _You_ are part of her Keelin,” the blonde asserts with intense eyes. “Okay?” The wolf gazes back at her and nods. “Okay,” she answers. Freya offers a small smile before pulling the woman into her arms and kissing the side of her head. 

They stand in the safety and understanding of each other’s embrace for what feels like an eternity.


	4. THE GOOD WITCH OF THE SOUTH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After making an extraordinary discovery, Bridget talks to Keelin; Freya makes her distrust of Bridget known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, guys I've been working on ideas for the next installment for awhile now but I'm already starting to write it. Although I've been pretty much keeping to canon especially now that I've noticed that the story with ten year old Mikaela aligns with the time jump of Hope, I'm still wondering what you guys think about reuniting the Mikaelsons. There's a big event in the next story that they have to be a part of and I pretty much know how I'm gonna make it happen but it's really bittersweet so would anyone want them to be reunited earlier or stay on par with what I've been doing? The next story is another year later btw. Ultimately, I'll make the final decision but I'm just curious about other opinions. Anyway...
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Catching Flies - Mama's Wisdom: Bridget and Freya talk about Mikaela's hyper mood.
> 
> 2) Sampha - Plastic 100 C: Mikaela heals herself in front of Bridget.
> 
> 3) Aquilo - Human: Keelin reveals her family's true nature to Bridget.
> 
> 4) Lamb - What Makes Us Human: Freya and Bridget have an intense conversation at dinner.
> 
> 5) HAELOS - Dust: Bridget and Freya craft a new necklace for Mikaela.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

After the whole incident with Mikaela’s wolf eyes and Keelin’s subsequent freak out, Freya had managed to take the reins of being the supportive, nurturing one. The witch had convinced Keelin not to take their daughter out of daycare. While Keelin eventually gave into that request, she still felt like taking on the hospital emergency room would not be in her best interest right now. 

One thing she wondered about was what had gotten into her girlfriend who was against daycare not so long ago. It was strange to see the woman suddenly all for it. Keelin couldn’t begin to understand it.

However, other issues were starting to present themselves. Not enough of Mikaela’s magic was being contained and therefore was creating a mess for the two parents. The toddler is constantly making her food explode, allowing objects to levitate, and cloaking herself. To be fair, Freya had taught her that last trick as a sort of twisted witchy hide n seek and Keelin was anywhere but there for it. She was growing tired of the little girl’s goofy antics of running away from her only to suddenly pop out of seemingly nowhere. It had almost given her a heart attack at some point. It comforted her to know that Freya was working on taming that energy.

Freya opens the familiar door to Mikaela’s classroom as the girl practically yells into her ear excitedly. They’re already a little late due to Mikaela getting carried away by a video call with none other than auntie Bex. The child had seemed to be brewing with many questions for the vampire. She inquired of her whereabouts and what she was doing, what she was eating. It brought a genuine chuckle out of the younger Mikaelson sibling that stemmed all the way from her gut. Rebekah kindly provided answers, drowned her little niece in praise, and peppered he with long distance kisses while stressing that she deeply misses her little darling.

“Daycare, daycare, daycare,” Mikaela’s little voice chants with her arms in the air. Bridget walks over with an amused grin. “Looks like somebody is excited today,” she chimes while looking down at the child after the blonde lowers her to her feet. She straightens up to greet the taller woman in front of her. “All tuckered out I suspect?” Freya provides an honest nod with a sigh.

“She’s so full of energy and even I can’t keep up,” the witch admits.

“Just wait until she gets to be a terrible two,” the teacher teases with feigned horror.

The blonde summons a small smile before slightly widening her green eyes. “Thank you. I don’t know how you seem to do it but you manage.” A wide grin spreads across the short-haired woman’s face. “It comes with time and practice. You also have to love it quite frankly,” she informs. Freya nods before crouching down prompting the little girl to turn toward her.

“It’s time for mama to go now okay?” The toddler nods her head frantically. 

“Okay,” she mimics. Her little arms wrap around her mother’s neck and the blonde tightly holds onto her before patting her back.

“You be a good girl okay? No boom,” the witch mandates softly but firmly. Her hands accompany the statement with a gesture only native to the pair. Mikaela shakes her head. “No boom,” she repeats causing Freya to smile. “Good girl. I love you.” She places a kiss on the tiny face and stands up to part with Bridget.

“Bye,” she breathes out. Bridget returns the single word with a small wave before taking Mikaela by the hand. Freya turns around and slips out of the classroom after stealing one last glance of her extraordinary daughter.  
________________________________________

Bridget observes closely as the group of toddlers scatter around the playground like eager puppies. The simplicity and carefree nature of it brings a bright smile to her face. She scans the scene ahead of her and suddenly notices Mikaela sitting on the edge of the padded surface seemingly in a trance. Her instincts lead her to the short distance away and she crouches down in front of the child.

“Hey, sweetie. What’s the matter,” she softly inquires. The toddler looks up at her and then back down to her leg with a pointed finger.

“Ouch,” she drawls.

The teacher briefly examines the nasty scrape before gently picking her up. She cranes her neck to address the little girl.

“Ouch is right. Let’s clean this up okay?” Mikaela nods her head as they walk over to the nearby first-aid kit on the wall of the building. The woman sits the child up on the picnic table and grabs the small box before redirecting her attention back to the one-year old. Her face instantly softens as she bends at the waist.

“Okay, this might hurt a little but you’ll feel so much better afterwards. I even have a lollipop with your name on it kiddo,” she informs with a smile.

As she inches toward the wound with the antiseptic pad, Mikaela places her little hand over it. Bridget pulls back with a patient look. “Mikaela. I need to see it so that I can make you as good as new okay,” she pleads. “Good as new,” the little girl mimics in the tone of a question. The woman shakes her head in affirmation. “Mhm. I just need to move your hand and…” 

Upon gently taking the small hand away from her path she finds the scrape healing right before her own eyes. A surprised gasp escapes her throat.

“Good as new!”

Mikaela throws her arms into the air in celebration while Bridget gazes up at her with a head full of questions.  
________________________________________

At two minutes before five o’clock, Keelin steps into the classroom while holding the door open for the other arrivals filing in behind her.

The parents begin collecting their children as the werewolf strains her eyes to find her own little troublemaker. She finally spots her through the crowd of people. Her teacher is crouched down in front of her while straightening up the child’s little jacket. The way her daughter looks down upon the woman’s bowed head brings a smile to her lips. The little munchkin was most definitely enamored by the sweet woman.

Decidedly, she saunters her way over to the pair but stops short as not to startle them. The caretaker seems to sense a new presence and slowly looks up to find Keelin standing a few feet away with a smile.

“Oh, hey! I’m just making sure she’s in one piece before leaving my care,” the woman provides before turning her attention back to the toddler. Keelin waves her off.

“I have a feeling that she’s okay with the extra time spent in your presence,” the wolf replies with a smirk.

Bridget looks back up at the mother with a humble grin. “I’m nobody special. She’s doing a good job of feeding my ego though,” she lightly jokes. Standing up, she turns toward the smaller woman with a sudden expression of uncertainty. Keelin gauges the change immediately.

“Is everything okay,” she slowly asks. The taller woman gazes into her eyes intensely. “Can we talk in private?” Keelin becomes a little uneased by the request but nods her head in agreement. “Sure.” The trio move deeper into a far corner of the room as the sea of parents begin to fizzle out. Bridget rubs her hands in anticipation.

“So, Mikaela had a little accident outside today,” she starts. Keelin’s eyes widen with concern. “Is she okay,” she briskly questions the woman. The teacher hastily nods her head to ease the mother. “Yeah, of course! She’s perfectly fine,” she assures. “That’s actually what I want to talk to you about.” The werewolf’s eyebrows knit in confusion, silently urging the woman to explain the problem.

“Mikaela had a bit of a scrape and as I was trying to clean it…well it healed right before my eyes,” Bridget informs carefully. The brown eyes opposite of her are enlarging by the second. 

All of the werewolf’s anxiety is starting to creep up from the pits of her stomach. She knew that it was no longer a good idea to allow her daughter to attend the daycare. She had told her girlfriend that a thousand times. Despite her will she gave in to the older woman’s persistence. This was all happening because of her incredibly stupendous mistake and now she was probably scaring the kind woman out of her wits.

“You don’t owe me any explanation and you don’t have to say anything that you don’t want to. I just want to understand her better,” the taller woman concludes.

Well, that certainly wasn’t the response that Keelin had been expecting to hit her in the face. She tilts her head, perplexed by the woman. Could she really be that much of a saint to just ignore the obvious distinction of the child holding her hand. Keelin gazes down at her daughter who’s returning a look of wide eyes up at her. It was only right that she’d be honest with the woman that has been nothing but welcoming to her. So, she takes a deep breath before stepping closer to the awaiting dark eyes.

“We’re not like the other families you’ve been dealing with. I…I’m a werewolf and…Freya is a witch. We came here to give our daughter a chance at a normal life away from the danger,” she hesitantly admits.

A deep realization sets into the features of the taller woman and she processes the information slowly. Keelin bites her lip nervously but then she’s surprised yet again by the kind hand placed upon her shoulder.

“You have nothing to worry about from me. Your secret’s safe, I won’t tell a soul. I promise,” the teacher swears with serious eyes. The new hammering thoughts take over within the werewolf’s head. _Who is this woman and where the hell did she come from? If I had a dollar for every good reaction a human had toward something of the mystical variety I’d be living under the freeway. What makes this woman so special?_

Bridget seems to read her thoughts openly and summons a small smile.

“This town is laid back about most things. It’s a place of freedom, opportunity, diversity, and community but the people here are pretty uptight about overly strange things,” she explains. “I should know because I’m a practicing witch myself.”

The new information has Keelin’s mouth gaping so wide that she’s sure a barrage of flies could enter without a problem.

“You’re a witch,” the werewolf finally breathes out. Her question is met with a trademark humbled grin. “That doesn’t bother you, does it? I’ve known a lot of witches in my twenty-eight years of life and most of them could be territorial to say the least. I’m not sure if Freya would take too kindly to me being around her daughter.”

Keelin gives the woman apologetic eyes. Sure, the Mikaelson witch was putting forth an effort but she had been overprotective of their daughter since day one. She wasn’t too keen on strangers, an obvious trait shared by her brooding family, and her mistrust in most people was at an all-time high in the more recent months. So, it was enough that the blonde was tolerating the amount of authority that the caregiver was allowed over Mikaela.

She isn’t sure how welcoming her girlfriend would be to the knowledge of another witch spending time with the toddler. After all, the eldest Mikaelson had a dramatic history with witches who got too close for comfort within her life.

But the soft squeeze of her shoulder and the attentive eyes of the woman in front of her has her fully realizing that at the moment, the concern is about how _she_ perceives the situation. Bridget _did_ ask how _she_ felt about the revelation of her heritage first. The complete comfort she feels from her presence allows her to thoroughly explore her own buried thoughts and emotions.

_How do I even feel about witches in general at this point? Before Freya tore her way into the picture I had steered clear of them for most of my life and even in the beginning my feelings were bordering on hatred toward her for what she was doing to me. She only proved that I was right about how cruel and relentless they could be. My own stupid curse was created by one out of vengeance._

She finds her subconscious digging up the grave of her tainted past.  
________________________________________

**_“I wonder if I’m gonna be a famous dancer or actress,” the eldest girl states dreamily._ **

**_The younger boy and girl follow behind with matching eye rolls._ **

**_“Yeah, right. I’m probably gonna be a pro football player though,” the young boy remarks with a smirk. The oldest girl scoffs. “That’s not what daddy says. He says that if you keep warming those benches, you’ll turn into a human couch cushion,” she retorts with a laugh._ **

**_“Shut up! It’s not funny,” the boy says in frustration. He turns toward his beloved sister. “What about you, Keelin? What do you think Madame Barbarin will tell you,” he questions with genuine curiosity. The middle child shrugs mindlessly._ **

**_“I don’t know but I’m going to be a doctor anyway. Or maybe a scientist so that I can cure every sickness,” she asserts._ **

**_Both siblings burst into laughter and she scowls at their childish antics. “This is why I never talk to you guys about anything serious,” she states exasperatedly with a shake of her head._ **

**_“I’m sorry,” her little brother chuckles. “But that’s…that’s…” As if on cue both the eldest and youngest Murphy children blurt out in unison. “Boring!” Keelin folds her arms defensively and sighs loudly. “Yeah, well it won’t be so boring when I’m saving both of your lives,” she affirms with pride._ **

**_“Whatever, big head,” the eldest child throws back._ **

**_The trio approach a caravan of merchants and side shows before taking off running through the various set ups. The boy is the first to spot the target of their destination. The other kids of the neighborhood had been gossiping nonstop about the glorious Madame Barbarin who was bestowing exciting fates upon the children. Well, everyone except for some kid named Josh that was apparently destined to be a truck driver. Everyone else were amazed by their life paths including a successful musician, a modest artist, a confident adventurist, and an important survivalist._ **

**_The list went on and the Murphy children were eager to get their fill of the fun. All except for Keelin that is. She’s a bright girl that doesn’t feel the need or see the point in answering to anyone else, let alone some strange seer. Too much power could never be a good thing in her eyes._ **

**_The siblings approach the dusty tent as an older woman pulls back the flap._ **

**_“And what do we have here? I sense the children of Hayes Murphy and Kelly Monreaux. Am I right,” she inquires with a sly smirk. The eldest and the youngest nod their heads excitedly as Keelin keeps her arms crossed with an indifferent look. The fortune teller grins at the girl. “Are you a nonbeliever girl,” she asks._ **

**_“I don’t prove or disprove anything without the proper research,” the werewolf states._ **

**_“Bright young girl. You’re smart not to want to dabble in such things,” the woman affirms._ **

**_The standoff is interrupted by the impatience of the other two siblings. “I’m going in first!” The boy is promptly smacked on the back of the head causing him to slip his fingers into his short curls. “No, I’m going in first since I’m the oldest,” the assailant announces with a pleased look._ **

**_“As you wish,” the fortune teller remarks with an invitation to enter the tent._ **

**_The younger boy glares at her as she goes with a hand still gripping his sore head. When his sister and the old woman disappear behind the veil he turns to Keelin. “I bet she’s gonna get it good. She’s not gonna be a dancer or anything, watch,” he says in a slightly vengeful tone. Suddenly they hear their sister scream and they run up toward the tent only for her to nearly run into them upon rushing out._ **

**_“Move,” she yells aggressively. They part and let her march through where they once stood. “What happened,” Keelin asks with concern. Her older sister shakes her head furiously. “That old hag said that I won’t be a famous dancer because I give it up to raise a bastard,” she cries. “Ooh,” the youngest drawls. The girl rolls her eyes at him. “It’s not a bad word. She said it to me! I wanna go home,” she pouts._ **

**_The boy does a spin move and shuffles along. “Well too bad. It’s my turn now. You can just go if you wanna be a baby cause your life sucks.” He looks over to his other sister. “You’ll stay though won’t you Keelin?”_ **

**_The middle child nods at her little brother. “Well, fine. You guys can stay here with that evil witch. I’m going home where the air doesn’t smell like rotten eggs,” she whines before hurrying off. Keelin gives her brother a serious look. “Just hurry up Collins. I have better things to do,” she urges the boy. He nods before slipping into the tent._ **

**_Keelin waits for a couple of minutes before her little brother comes jogging out of the structure with a goofy grin plastered across his face. She can’t help but smile at the sight as he halts in front of her._ **

**_“So, I guess you got the good news,” she observes. He nods his head comically._ **

**_“She told me that I’ll do great things that will make daddy proud of me,” the boy informs with excitement. “You’re the favorite because you’re so smart but I wanna do something right too.”_ **

**_The older sibling gazes at her brother with understanding. It’s true that her parents waste no time bragging to everyone in sight about her mental capabilities but at the same time she was constantly mocked for her different views on being a werewolf. Her father just couldn’t understand that she wants to be her own person. At least her mother is tolerant when it comes to her decision making._ **

**_“Aren’t you gonna go in now,” the small voice brings her out of her thoughts._ **

**_“What?” Her eyebrows furrow in confusion and disbelief. “I don’t think so. I don’t care about that stuff. I’ll find out soon enough my own way,” she claims._ **

**_The boy shrugs his shoulders. “It doesn’t hurt to know now. You’re already here and it goes fast. You might as well,” he replies with anticipation swimming in his eyes. Keelin sighs before rolling her own brown orbs. “Will you stop bothering me if I do it?” A goofy grin reclaims his features. “Yup,” he remarks in turn. She gives in. “Fine. It’s a deal.” Extending her hand, she gives the boy a pointed look and he instantly grabs her hand with a firm shake. “Deal,” he shoots back._ **

**_The older girl steps around him and enters the tent. The woman is perched in her chair with a knowing look as the young girl’s eyes instinctively wander around the place. There are various antiques and strange looking items littering the tent. The atmosphere sends a chill up her spine._ **

**_“Are you frightened, child?” Keelin gazes over at the grinning woman._ **

**_“Spooky,” the girl remarks with a mocking gesture of her hands. The older woman smiles to herself before looking back at the child. “We shall see if that spirit prevails in the coming moments. Come now,” the witch commands. The werewolf slowly walks over to stand in front of the sitting woman._ **

**_“Hold out your hands. It will only take me a few moments to see a vision,” she states. Keelin does as she’s told and waits as the woman closes her eyes. The fortune teller hums deeply causing the girl to raise an eyebrow. “Oh, child. Sweet child. I see great darkness in your future. You will struggle time after time again.” The annoyance tugs at the werewolf and she goes to pull away but the witch holds onto her hands._ **

**_“I’m leaving now,” she declares but she can’t fight herself out of the tight grip. The old woman’s eyes open to reveal a white, almost opaque film coating them. It unsettles the young girl._ **

**_“The more you fight it, the unhappier you’ll be. You will never be happy and you will spend your days wishing for someone to understand you, anyone. You will be unknown to those all around you, stuck hiding your true nature behind the mask that you weave with time,” the fortune teller speaks as gospel._ **

**_“I want to leave now,” Keelin yells as she yanks herself away aggressively. The force from tearing out of the strong grip also snatches the vision from the eyes of the woman and Keelin races out of the tent and right through her brother._ **

**_“Keelin,” he calls after her but she continues to run. She runs until her heart nearly bursts out of her chest and her legs can no longer carry her._ **

**_Later that day her parents question the children about the girl’s distress but all they get are shrugs in return. Keelin refused to come out of hiding in her room prompting her siblings to intrude on her sulking. “It was just a stupid joke. It probably means nothing.” “I don’t believe in it at all. I just think that you’re making things harder for yourself. You need to accept the fact that you’re a wolf just like us.” Keelin sits there with her knees tucked underneath her chin in silence. They would never understand the things that she felt. To them she was just the sensitive and difficult outcast who put it all on herself._ **

**_But deep down she felt that maybe the witch was right about her. Maybe she was really doomed to have such a horrible fate._**  
________________________________________

Keelin shakes the memory from her mind and digs it several feet deeper before regarding the woman. She patiently waits for the werewolf’s words.

“No. You don’t bother me. I’m lucky to have met you and I’m forever grateful for your protection of my daughter,” she finally replies with genuine eyes.

Bridget looks down momentarily before fixing a beam to her lips. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to hear that although I feel a ‘but’ coming along,” the teacher retorts. Keelin sighs. “I can’t speak for Freya and she can’t control my impression of people. She has her own personal matters but I do want her to be comfortable with the situation. I want to be honest with her,” the wolf explains softly. The taller woman nods before looking down at the child grasping her hand.

“I completely understand.” Keelin shakes her head lightly.

“Do you want to have dinner with us?” 

Bridget’s eyes widen slightly. “Yeah, we can use it as an opportunity to lay down our truths and get to know each other. I’ll tell Freya to play nice. The safety and happiness of Mikaela means the world to her. And I can already tell that you care about her too,” the werewolf offers. The witch seems to sit on the invitation for several moments before finally agreeing. “Okay…I’ll join you if you can assure me that your girlfriend won’t challenge me to a witch fight,” she requests comically. Keelin chuckles lightly at the joke.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she claims.  
________________________________________

“You did _what_?”

Freya fights for the full attention of the woman who is currently preoccupied with setting the table. “I asked Bridget over for dinner,” the werewolf replies mindlessly. The witch shakes her head. “I’ve gathered, before that,” she questions again. “I told her that Mikaela is a hybrid.” Keelin walks over to the stove to get the food and begins spooning generous amounts of spaghetti on top of each plate. 

“And she told you that she’s a witch,” the blonde recounts out loud.

“Yes, for the last time she’s a witch. It’s not the lay of the land for you to be the sole witch occupying the town,” the smaller woman remarks while grabbing cups from the cabinets.

The blonde rolls her eyes with a sigh. “Well then, as you know I don’t trust her,” she concludes. Keelin laughs humorlessly at the declaration. “That was hardly the toughest code to crack, Freya.” The werewolf turns around to open the fridge but finds the taller woman trapping herself in between the space to get there. She runs her fingers through her thick curls while rolling her eyes before looking up to her girlfriend.

“I know that I’m not exactly as inviting and warm as you but I have good reason. My daughter’s safety comes first, _always_. I don’t care if I have to be the most callous and cold witch in the entire world to ensure that.”

The conviction of the words disturbs Keelin’s patience and she grabs at her temples before looking back to the woman. “You felt a certain presence the first time we met her. I did too. I trust my instincts and they tell me that she’s a good person,” the wolf asserts. 

“Yeah, I did feel something. And now I know that it was her apparent power,” the witch throws back.

Keelin tears her away from the refrigerator and grabs Mikaela’s juice. “She’s good at hiding it you know. That should be worrying for you,” the blonde adds. She walks into the family room to grab the toddler from her enclosed gate and brings her into the kitchen to sit in her highchair. The wolf brings over her sippy cup and the child gladly takes it before drinking the beverage.

“So, what are we doing then? We’re doing the exact same thing for a better life.”

“We’re protecting the life of our child,” Freya retorts.

“And she’s protecting the life of, I don’t know, her career. You don’t know the first thing about her and you’re already thriving off of your assumptions. This is why I invited her over. You can clear the self-righteous air and we can continue to protect Mikaela,” Keelin finalizes. 

“Nothing you say can make me change my mind about this.” The werewolf kisses her daughter on the head before looking at her brooding girlfriend with her arms folded. “Well, good thing you’re only one half of a whole. She’s my daughter too and you don’t get to control every aspect of her life.” Freya steps forward and opens her mouth to speak but gets cut off by the doorbell.

“Excuse me,” the smaller woman says before maneuvering around the paranoid woman.

She makes her way over to the front door and pulls it open with a bright smile. “Hey, glad you could make it.” Bridget beams right back and puts the bottle in her hand on full display. “I brought wine if that’s okay,” she informs. The werewolf nods excitedly. “Are you kidding? It’s more than okay,” she replies lightheartedly. “Come in, please.” 

The younger woman steps into the warm home and waits to be led by her hostess. After closing the door, Keelin happily leads her through the room. “This is the family room. As you can see we have a prison, population of one to keep a certain little troublemaker from straying too far.” Bridget grins at the thought of an unruly little Mikaela Mikaelson. “And here is the kitchen, population of…four.” 

The two women stand in brief silence upon realizing that it’s only the two of them.

“Population of four,” Bridget promptly questions the woman next to her. “Seriously, Freya,” the wolf calls in disbelief. On instinct, Bridget turns to her left only to be met with none other than Freya Mikaelson. A very intimidating Freya Mikaelson at that. Although her lurking slightly startles her she recovers quick enough to stand her ground.

“I think I found her,” Bridget alerts softly. Keelin turns to gaze at her girlfriend who has Mikaela planted on her hip. The look in her eyes are bordering on predatory and it irritates her to no end.

“B.B.” Mikaela shoots her trademark grin at the short-haired woman with batted eyelashes and the look on the blonde’s face is the most amusing thing that Keelin has been graced with thus far. She could see the clench of her jaw and the slight tremble of her bottom lip. Could the great Freya Mikaelson be jealous already?

“Hello, sweets,” the woman throws back before taking the outstretched little hand into her own. “It’s so good to see you again so soon.” An adorable smile swipes across her mouth. Although she’s thoroughly enjoying the scene, the werewolf decides to cut the tension and move the evening along. 

“Let’s eat, you guys. I’m starving,” she announces. 

Everyone takes their rightful seat and dinnertime commences. It isn’t until well into the meal that things take a left turn into awkward and intense territory due to Freya’s hand in the matter.

“It has been brought to my attention that you’re a witch,” the blonde announces before taking a sip of her wine. Bridget looks up with a knowing expression and sits her fork down onto her plate. “You seem to take offense to that,” she observes carefully. “I take offense to those willing to harm my daughter. I’m still in the process of figuring out if you’re one of those people,” the older witch admits firmly.

“Freya,” Keelin warns but Bridget puts up a forgiving hand. 

“It’s okay, Keelin. She has a right to state how she feels just as I have a right to do the same,” the younger woman states.

The Mikaelson smirks a little at the other witch’s confidence and daring personality. “Have you always lived here,” the blonde suddenly questions. The teacher shakes her head as a negative. “I’m originally from another village in Tennessee. I spent most of my life there before coming here,” she supplies without a beat. “Why,” the older woman inquires right after. A blush seems to overtake the woman briefly. “I fell in love. I chased that love all the way here. Well, _those_ loves twice,” she admits feeling vulnerable. 

Keelin suddenly perks up at the personal turn of the conversation but feels bad that Freya is practically giving the woman no choice in the matter. Freya takes another generous sip from her glass.

“They were werewolves weren’t they,” she asks already knowing the answer.

“I see you’ve been doing your research on the origin of this village,” Bridget remarks.

At this point the werewolf is looking between the two witches so much that her head is spinning. What is even happening now? And what is all this talk about the _origin_ of the town. The only thing that’s for certain is the ever-building tension between the two women sizing each other up. Keelin is not even the referee anymore but just a lowly bystander during an intense round of chess. 

“I have my ways and plenty of time to learn the history of things I encounter,” the Mikaelson witch replies with a not so hidden layer of meaning. Bridget grows tired of the mental games and decides to fall back into her natural upfront attitude. “So, you know what I am, you know where I’m from, and you know that I’ve slept with werewolves.” Keelin becomes strangled by the drink flowing into her windpipe and Bridget takes a small moment to throw her an apologetic glance before continuing.

“What’s next? My favorite color, zodiac sign, and third grade teacher? I’m not here for your questionnaire. All you need to know is that I care about your little girl,” the Allentown witch avows passionately.

Her opponent narrows her eyes before leaning forward in her seat with fire in those green pools. “You see, it’s never just that simple. People can say anything to make you believe it. Hell, sometimes they even believe in it themselves. When I was a child I was told that everything that was happening to me was for my own good. I never knew that imprisoning those you care for was such a sweet sign of love,” she remarks bitterly. “That is why I need actions of truth not the lies of words. But I’m way past waiting to see if there’s good in people.”

“I told you who I was, I haven’t told anyone about who Mikaela is. I think I’m true to my word and who I want to be. _That_ little girl is special and it is important for me to protect such innocence,” Bridget argues.

Freya shakes her head in disbelief. “Why does it matter so much to you? You don’t know her from the next child in your care,” she claims. The younger woman shakes her head. “That’s where you’re wrong. For the last three years my whole life has been about these kids, each and every one of them. I’ve learned their names, their temperaments, their favorite colors, their favorite foods, the things they’re allergic to, and the things that make them so scared they cower underneath their blankets. When their parents aren’t around I’m the one scooping them up off the floor. _I_ fix their boo boos and comfort them when they’re sad.”

Keelin is in awe at the passion within the woman and Freya is rendered speechless as she gazes over at the woman across from her.

“I once had a friend that cried herself to sleep every night wishing she had a family to care for her. That didn’t happen for her until she was a teenager. Since then I vowed that I would always treat a child as if they were my own,” she finishes slightly out of breath. She was so into her spiel that she hadn’t realized the extent of just how much she was working herself up. The table is quiet save for Mikaela singing her own little made up tune.

“So, how about that for the truth in actions?”

Before Freya can formulate her response, Mikaela sends her plate exploding toward the ceiling.  
________________________________________

“I didn’t exactly ask for your help. I can take care of my family,” Freya grumbles.

“I have no plans to take over your family. But if you want to effectively contain her abilities then you have to work with me here. Your choice,” Bridget replies.

The pair of witches are standing over Freya’s work table on opposite sides. It’s strange for someone other than the blonde to be occupying the space. No one else has ever set foot into her secluded hideaway and she certainly never guessed that the first person to break that chain would be the woman that she’s suspicious of. Though she, herself doesn’t trust the younger witch, she has come to realize that the woman is truthful about her intentions with Mikaela. It would have to be enough for now seeing as that she couldn’t exactly turn down allies with her surplus of enemies plotting against her.

“For Mikaela,” the older woman gives in.

“For Mikaela,” the latter affirms. “With our combined power, the magic used to enchant this necklace should sustain itself. No more _boom_.” Freya nods and begins to roll her shoulders back before placing both palms face down as they hover over the object on the table. Bridget follows suit and they both close their eyes before concentrating their magic.

The sun and moon talisman begins glowing brightly. It levitates in the space between them as the light becomes so intense it envelops them both. They pull back in unison and the jewelry floats back down. Green eyes pour into brown ones.

“There. That should be enough to rival little Mikaela Mikaelson,” Bridget remarks with a grin. Freya picks up the necklace and glances at the other woman.

“I hope you don’t expect gratitude.” The younger witch rolls her eyes at the woman’s statement. “Oh, I didn’t count on it. However, I will be receiving a formal apology for making me disclose my love life in front of Keelin,” she affirms as a half joke. Freya tilts her head with a sigh.

“I’m _sorry_ ,” she supplies before looking down. “My trust is an elusive and fragile thing.”

“Hm. Well, I guess you’re not completely the wicked witch of the south that I thought you were.” The blonde looks up at her with a short hint of a smirk.

“And I suppose you’re just the good witch of the south with a wild history,” she retorts. Bridget eyes her incredulously before they leave the seclusion of the farm shed.


	5. ENEMY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freya attempts to challenge her curse by summoning dark forces; Keelin receives a surprise visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, for Freya's spell I actually did some translating from old Norse but there are weird symbols and wonky phonetics so I thought it'd flow better by just using the English translation haha. The next two chapters are companion pieces that were too long imo to put into one part so I split them similarly to how I did with chapters 1&2 in the previous story. I will post them both on the same day. Anyway...
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Jordan Mackampa - Teardrops in a Hurricane: Keelin gets coffee and is visited by Maxwell.
> 
> 2) Lupa J - Broken Mirrors: Freya almost kills herself while attempting a dangerous spell.
> 
> 3) ARIZONA - Feed The Beast: The song playing in KC's earphones.
> 
> 4) Sam Wallace - Shelter: Maxwell & Mikaela.
> 
> 5) Michael Schulte - Thoughts: Freya returns home with Mikaela and Keelin reveals that she took the hospital job. 
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

The new talisman that Bridget and Freya had crafted was proving to be a success. Whenever it was chained to the child’s neck there was no boom or cloaking to be had. Keelin was beyond thankful for the change of pace. She even teased Freya about having a new friend to star in “The Craft 2” with but the woman had told her not to get ahead of herself. The two witches came to an understanding of both wanting to protect the toddler at all costs. That was all that they would ever agree on and that was fine with them. 

The newfound calm had allowed the werewolf to begin thinking about the option of working at the hospital. It still made her feel somewhat guilty but she couldn’t help the lust for life the fast-paced environment gave her. It was part of the home in her heart.

She ponders these very thoughts as she steps up next in line to receive her cup of coffee. Thanking the barista, she goes to find a small table to take a break at and sits down with a sigh. The sunshine is beautiful and she’s glad that she decided to take a walk instead of driving. There’s a handful of moments she has to herself before it’s time to go get Mikaela and she is gloriously basking in it with closed eyes. 

“May I sit here,” a deep voice inquires politely. The werewolf cracks an eye open to find none other than Maxwell standing above her with an unreadable expression. 

“Maxwell,” she questions in disbelief. A look of delight overtakes her features.

“Keelin,” he affirms softly.

“Well I never thought I’d see you in a small-town type of scene.”

“It’s a surprise to me as well. I know that it seems strange for me to show up unannounced like this.”

“You’re always wearing long coats in ninety-degree weather. I think strange is expected at this point.”

The tall man sits down across from her with a small grin and they take each other in for a few seconds. “How are you,” he asks. The woman hums in thought before looking back at him. “I’m really happy,” she settles on. Maxwell briefly looks down but wills another small smile. “That’s great. And the child?” The most endearing look of pure bliss radiates from Keelin at the thought of her daughter.

“She’s growing up so fast and making trouble for us. There’s the intelligence and fearless behavior that keeps me on my toes. But also, she’s just so happy and full of life, she’s full of love.”

“It seems as if you live for every single moment of it. I’m happy for you,” he admits.

“Yeah, well that’s the complicated part. I love being a mother to her but sometimes I find myself reaching back for parts of my old life. I can still feel what it was like to be in the trenches of a rough overnight shift. I miss helping people. Not passing out prescriptions but actually being knee deep in blood, sweat, and tears while _saving_ lives,” the wolf confides.

The male witch takes a minute to consider all of the information at hand before stating his thoughts simply. “You should take the job. If it means that much to you then I know you’ll find a way to make it work. It’s just who you are.” Keelin sits up in her seat and raises an eyebrow at the mysterious persona.

“Just like that? I just take the job and that’s it.” He grins at her disbelief with his straightforwardness. 

“That’s it,” he states with a shrug.

“Well, that was a lot easier than I guess I was making it out to be.” The woman looks down at her phone and catches the time. “Oh, I have to go pick up Mikaela from daycare,” she announces. Maxwell stands up hastily. “Of course. I’ll leave you to it then.” He attempts to walk away but the werewolf stops him. “Well, hold on Mr. Tall, Dark and Broody. You haven’t seen her since she was born and I think it’s only fair that you lay eyes on the little person that you helped come into the world,” she offers with a soft smile.

The hesitation is clear in his body language but he eventually gives into his foolish desire to be more human.

“Well, if you insist,” he surrenders. His response is met with a look of satisfaction and they begin walking side by side to the nearby facility.

As they approach the front, Maxwell lags behind and stops at the top of the stairs altogether. He presses his weight onto the railing and Keelin turns around before raising an eyebrow. “Mysterious brooding witch is afraid of a few toddlers?” He rolls his eyes at the joke. “Something like that. I’ll just wait here. Wouldn’t want my cold demeanor to frighten little children,” he claims. “Fine. Be out in a second.” He nods.

When the woman finally leaves him to his thoughts he is able to breathe. The whole point of arriving in this place is to warn the kind woman he had come to know of the terrible danger her family is in. Yet it suddenly felt unspeakable now that he sees in person just how happy she is. Before coming here, he was even willing to include his part in the affair but now he’s at a loss. He had the means to watch their every move but had decided against it unlike his other targets. It didn’t feel right. But there were rare moments when he would look into his enchanted mirror and see what they were up to. It was a new kind of torture to live with.

He actually knew the woman and knew her heart. His unfortunate business was with the Mikaelson witch but Keelin and the child had been presented as collateral damage. None of it sat well with him but there was nothing he could do. His “master” would never allow it.

The doctor files out with a small girl holding onto her hand and Maxwell eases back into the strength of his shoulders.

“This is Mikaela.” Keelin leans down to address her daughter. “Say hi to Max.”

The toddler peers up at the man with wide eyes. “Hi Macks,” she repeats. He smiles at her before crouching down to her level. “Hello, Mikaela. I’ve heard a great deal about you,” he states. To his surprise the child does nothing else but hug him. His arms are held in the air awkwardly until he gives in by embracing her. 

“Cold,” she asks. His eyebrows furrow at the question and Keelin watches the interaction intently. She was amazed that her sensitive daughter had the courage to embrace the man so suddenly, although it was obvious that the man needed some warmth in his life. The loner himself was just as surprised at the little girl’s actions and felt intrigued but slightly uncomfortable at the unfamiliarity of it. He gently pulls back from her and stands up. 

“Thank you for this Keelin but I should be on my way now,” he informs. “I’d prefer it if you keep this between us for now.”

She raises an eyebrow but slowly nods. “Are you okay? I know that she can be intense sometimes,” she tries but he waves her off. “You daughter is special,” he states simply before leaving the pair on the steps of the daycare.  
________________________________________

All of her time was going to waste on these spells. 

Her blood is still cursed and in her mind her enemies taunt her but there has been no progress. A fist collides with the large mirror and she paces within the space of the farm shed. That reflection was proving to be her own worst enemy. The hatred for even her more recent enemies is no match for the hate she feels for herself. All of the guilt and false promises are eating away at her core leaving her a mere shell without a soul.

There has to be a way to end this and the only options she has on her mind are extremely dark. It was all or nothing and she was prepared to give everything to save her own flesh and blood.

With purpose, she moves back over to the wooden table and sets up her candles. She strikes a match and anxiously lights each one down the line before flipping through a dusty, old grimoire. When she lands on the page that contains the first spell of her thoughts, another idea suddenly rips right through it. A one in a million-memory gifted to her by none other than her late aunt Dahlia was beginning to look like a blessing disguised as a curse.

**_“Come now, child. We have great work to attend to.”_ **

**_The brunette woman stands behind the hazy flames of several candles as a wicked grin overtakes her features. A teenaged Freya is mounted to her spot several feet away while frantically shaking her head at the devious relative. Dahlia fiercely moves around the table to grab the girl by her biceps and watches as her shoulders curl into her neck. The fear in her green eyes is enough to please the woman and she subsequently eases away from her aggressive approach with a smile._ **

**_“Don’t you want me to be joyous? Haven’t I seen to it that you’re well taken care of? Together we are the most powerful beings to ever walk this side of a wretched world.”_ **

**_Freya tightly shuts her eyes and continues to shake her head in protest._ **

**_“I did not want this power. I never dared asked for it,” the small voice tries._ **

**_Dahlia grabs the chin of the teenager, forcing her to open her eyes in terror. The blonde gulps inaudibly and finds herself shaking in the clutches of her persistent aunt. “Oh, that’s the beauty of it my dear child. You never dared to ask for such power because it is your birthright. You must use it to our advantage. Now, these foolish brutes have taken something very important from me and we shall claim it once again.”_ **

**_The older witch pauses for a moment as the teenager watches her intently. A cruel smirk pulls at Dahlia’s lips._ **

**_“But not without punishment well deserved. Each of those naïve nomads will receive a day of reckoning at my glorious hands,” the brunette asserts. “Now, be a good girl and see to it that your beloved aunt is properly satisfied.”_ **

**_Freya looks on with slight confusion and fear as Dahlia reveals a knife from her dark dress. Green eyes widen as the young girl feebly tugs away from the woman. With a swift flick of her wrist, the sharp weapon slices through the palm of Freya’s hand. The blonde gasps at the stinging sensation._ **

**_“I will need all of the power I have available to me. Together with your pure blood and my own divine offering, we will be unstoppable. It is time that we place that strength on full display, bringing our enemies to their knees with the darkest adversary affliction known to this land,” she declares._ **

**_Dahlia quickly slices her own palm and brings it to the younger girl’s open wound. She grips their hands together tightly before looking into terrified green eyes with a sickeningly sweet smile. It almost makes her look human, like she’s actually ridding the world of evil instead of poisoning it with her own darkness. Tears begin to stream down Freya’s pained face._ **

**_“One day you will give me great gratitude for saving you from the consequences of weakness. I am molding you into the strong witch that you are meant to be my dear child. No one will ever dare challenge your supremacy.”_ **

Freya closes her eyes and breathes in deeply.

Her mind fills with all of the memories and visions of her daughter. The light of her eyes, her smile, and the way that she has always clung to her begins overtaking her heart. The internal battle of knowing that Mikaela has always wanted to follow her everywhere and knowing that she’d always be beckoned by darkness is the only reason why she is granting herself this time to think. Hesitancy and her daughter’s safety would never belong in the same sentence but the naturally developed parental side of her is inclined to consider the example she sets for her little shadow person. 

The truth is that she worries everyday about potentially leading her child right into the temptations of the dark side. She, herself never had a chance to be better or a say in how she wanted to be brought up but the difference here is that Mikaela does have a shot at being a healthy person. It was something that she would never want to compromise yet here she is weighing all the options. She opens her eyes with a shake of her head.

At the end of the day she would always be a product of her destructive circumstances whether she tried to turn a new leaf or not. But at least she would be able to protect her family from even darker forces.

With a decision made, she picks up her sharp tool and carves out a line down her forearm. It has been centuries since she had performed this spell and even then, she was in a different place. She knows that this will be a difficult feat and potentially fatal without the great power of another witch sharing the load. But it isn’t like she has much of a choice and this is the only guaranteed solution to do away with all of her enemies.

So, she cuts into her other arm and shakily breathes out in response to the uncomfortable sensation. The blood runs down her arms but it isn’t enough to effectively drain her. Instinctively, her eyes close as she focuses her energy before pledging herself to the depths of obscurity.

In her **mother tongue** , she begins to summon the dark force while conjuring up the apex of her magic simultaneously.

_“Doorkeeper. Do harm to evil, do harm to everything, every adversary with this affliction. Divide, diminish, and conquer. Divide, diminish, and conquer. Divide, diminish, and conquer. Divide, diminish, and conquer. Divide, diminish, and conquer!”_

As soon as the last of her words fire out of her with grave devotion, access of her body is granted to the elusive forces rendering her unreachable. Even her spiritual tie to Keelin is temporarily inactive as she offers herself up to the powers that be. Her green eyes gloss over as she becomes entranced by the energy flowing through her.

The candles around her burst into passionate flames that threaten to engulf her as she defensively creates a magical boundary. In the already fractured mirror several feet away she sees her reflection shatter into pieces. The objects occupying the room levitate and throw themselves around the space as the witch concentrates her magic. A fire burns within her and although the sliver of herself that is still conscious attempts to hold onto some control, the power is relentless. 

Her dark thoughts are welcomed by the ritual and her visions confront her with the memory of sentencing an unborn child to death. It happened over a year ago but she can still hear the blood curdling scream from the young mother to be. She can see the fevered state of her and the endless blood pooling around her legs on the floor. Her heartbeat that had raced until it nearly leapt out of her chest is making a return and she even sees the sight of an unconscious Keelin lying down, unwittingly a part of the scene. 

A strong feeling of dread seeps into her. Her very soul feels like it’s escaping the hollow vessel otherwise none as her body. The intense grip of the force squeezes her, making oxygen seem like something of unimportance as she is met with the growing darkness surrounding her. 

Freya slips into those depths and finds herself falling. Her head hits the ground below her hard and after a few moments the inkling of her lifeforce makes a reentry into her form after orbiting around her. The witch gasps and puts out the fire with determination. The room instantly settles into a peaceful calm as she gazes at the scene with wide eyes. When her breathing begins to slow, she allows her head to drop back down to the ground as she lays there with closed eyes.

If she couldn’t lift her mark alone and she couldn’t instantly demolish her enemies all at once then she needed to go to the source. She needs to find Maxwell and fix this.   
________________________________________

A couple days later Keelin shuffles into her workspace to find a young girl seemingly snooping around. The girl of at least sixteen years of age is sifting through paperwork and thoughtlessly collecting them. Keelin instantly raises an eyebrow at the unwarranted presence and clears her throat.

“Excuse me but who are you and what are you doing in here?”

The girl doesn’t respond and instead bobs her head along prompting Keelin to back out slightly to search for the whereabouts of her boss. Soon after, the mystery snooper comes skipping out of the room and dances her way up the stairs toward the office. Keelin widens her eyes further in disbelief and makes it her mission to stalk after her.

“Hey! What are you doing? You can’t be in here!”

Upon entering Dr. Puri’s sanctuary, Keelin spots the girl sitting some things on the man’s desk before moving to file other papers. The suspect pauses for a second while doing a little dance like there’s no one else in the room. With her patience wearing thin, Keelin marches over to the stranger and forcefully turns her around. The action proves to alert the teenager who fearfully chops the older woman in the throat with surprise.

Keelin grabs at the spot where the girl has assaulted her and presents a face of utter confusion. “Seriously,” she questions hastily. The teenager yanks out the earphones from her head and gasps with remorseful eyes. “Oh my god! I’m so sorry I thought I was the only one here right now,” the girl apologizes quickly.

The werewolf sighs deeply and drops her hand from her neck. “Which brings me to my next question. Why are you even in here?” 

The girl relaxes a bit and laughs nervously before speaking. “Oh, of course we’ve never met. I’m KC as in Kasey-Clara. My mom and dad couldn’t decide on which first name to give me so _that_ unfortunately happened. I…adopted my own new name which made dad feel like he won and kept mom satisfied.”

The teenager moves over to the desk in the middle of the space. “As for me being here, well I help out from time to time. Dr. Puri knows my dad, I mean he literally did my checkups until high school and volunteer work looks good on any application so yeah,” she rambles mindlessly. Keelin raises an eyebrow but nods at the information.

“Isn’t that violating a few HIPAA rules though,” the wolf inquires incredulously. KC smiles brightly.

“We’re in a small town and he trusts me not to peek. Not like there’s ever anything interesting anyway. I like the gory details. I’m all about the severed limbs and infectious diseases,” she retorts with a grin.

Keelin lights up and grins back at the girl’s enthusiasm before stepping forward mischievously. “You know,” she drawls. “I happen to be an emergency doctor that has seen a lot of trauma over the years.” KC lights up similarly to how the werewolf had just done. 

“No way. If that’s true, why would you be here?” The teenager extends her arms in emphasis. “I would probably off myself if I had to be here _all_ the time, day after day, minute after min…” Keelin cuts her off accordingly with a frown. 

“Okay, I get it. Being here sucks and I think that I’m the one qualified enough to know this,” she remarks.

“Then why _are_ you here,” KC asks in genuine curiosity.

The older woman sighs and leans over on the desk. Her head slightly tucks itself into her shoulder as she observes the teenager. KC gazes back at her with a desire to fully understand the situation. 

“When you get older and you have a family of your own, things start to change. It can be for the better. Sometimes it seems like the worst but…it’s worth it if there’s really love there and you’re really happy,” the wolf provides. KC quirks an eyebrow in thought. “So, you’re happy not getting in on the action anymore? That sounds depressing.” Keelin playfully rolls her eyes before snatching a paper from the girl.

“Of course, I’m not happy that I’m missing out on the fun. It always gave me this rush to be helping people. I’m good at saving lives. But when push comes to shove I have to be a good mother first,” she explains.

“So, why don’t you? You can save lives by night and pack lunches by day. No one said you had to completely give up an obviously big part of yourself. Or maybe that’s what you’ve been telling yourself this whole time,” the younger girl states with a shrug.

Suddenly, Keelin gazes at the teenager in deep thought. It dawns on her that she has been the only one pressuring herself to be the most perfect mom she can be. Of course, the thought of still being able to do both things she loves has crossed her mind several times as Mikaela grew. She had always worked from late at night until morning which could work for her role of motherhood but the whole thing still seemed a little selfish to her. Why was she still holding onto something that had occupied her loneliness for so long? She had a family to take care of now. But then again thinking about everything presented to her, this high school girl definitely made points that she couldn’t argue with.

“You know, you’re the second person in two days to just tell me what’s up like it’s the easiest thing in the world,” the werewolf finally states.

“My dad made me a decisive person. You can thank him,” the teen remarks simply before messing with her hair. “However, I am great at giving advice and I won’t charge this time but it is one of my many services just so you know.”

Keelin chuckles and KC follows suit with a bright smile. They both settle down with their backs to the desk.

“I’ll keep that in mind, kid.”  
________________________________________

Meanwhile, Maxwell finds himself drawn to the subject of his visit with Keelin just two days ago.

His newfound lack of resistance is nagging at him and he still has yet to figure out why the little girl known as Mikaela Mikaelson has somehow disrupted his routine. At this point of his life he held no attachments to anything or anyone so his current dilemma is more than a rude awakening in his humble opinion. The child is special and he finds himself longing to understand the extent of that.

So, here he is watching from afar as the group of toddlers play outside. He scans the area and notices that the older woman in charge of supervising is scrolling away on her tablet while periodically looking up to wave at the energetic children. Taking the initiative, he stalks up to the closest part of the fence in order to look for the little girl of his thoughts. She’s nowhere to be found and instead a blue butterfly settles itself right in front of his vision from the other side of the barrier.

He pulls back to gaze at it before it floats down bringing his eyes to rest on none other than the youngest Mikaelson standing opposite of him. Wide hazel eyes stare up at the man as he raises his eyebrows in surprise. Quickly, he crouches down to her eye level.

“Hello again, Mikaela. Do you remember me?” The toddler waves a small hand from her spot on the inside of the structure before speaking.

“Hi Macks,” she replies on strong memory. 

The male witch is taken aback but straightens up to retrieve a small flower from his coat. “This is for you,” he states while twirling it in his fingers. He hands it over to the little girl with bright eyes and she carefully holds it in her tiny grip. Suddenly, each petal plucks itself off before uniformly floating up toward the sky. Mikaela watches in awe at Maxwell’s display of magic and the man loses the fight against his own grin. The sunshine casts an ethereal glow onto the pair.

“Get away from her,” a venomous voice sounds.

Maxwell closes his eyes before rising to his feet and turns around to meet the furious gaze of Freya Mikaelson. The slight shake of her body and the narrowed green eyes alert him to her waning control. He takes a step toward the woman.

“My will is not to hurt Mikaela,” he admits calmly. Freya all but scoffs at the truth.

“If only you would’ve kept that disposition before plaguing her with my enemies.” The witch takes a couple of steps toward him. “I _need_ you to remove this curse from my blood. Now.”

The man sighs and briefly looks down before setting his gaze on his target. “I told you before that…” Freya instantly cuts him off angrily. “I know what you told me and that’s not a statement that I will ever accept,” she caustically affirms. She takes another step forward until they’re nearly face to face. “I know a thousand ways to make you hurt, about a thousand more to prolong that suffering. I won’t hesitate to show you them.” Her hands begin to raise.

A couple of parents walk up the stairs causing Freya to pull back with balled fists at her side. Maxwell nods at them before returning his attention to his tortured rival.

“Try holding onto your self-control for more than a few moments. You’re treading shallow waters,” the man remarks.

Freya rolls her eyes but takes in the environment. There’s the obvious children nearby and adults are starting to file in as well. It was true that she needed to refrain from so easily displaying her magic on a whim. Mikaela watches the whole scene play out in front of her and Freya finds herself gazing back at her with a look of disappointment at her own actions. She was so close to ripping the man limb from limb right in front of the innocent little girl. If her daughter was to ever learn just how callous she could be it would destroy the part of her that was the toddler’s hero.

The supervisor makes her way over to the little girl and notices the blonde standing on the other side.

“Oh, hello! This sly little fox slipped away from view but now I see that she was just eager to get to her mommy,” the older woman remarks with a smile. “I’ll just grab her things quickly.” Freya forces a small smile while nodding. “Thank you,” she states. The woman pulls the toddler away from the scene and the witch glares back at the man in front of her.

“There’s nothing else for us to talk about.”

“I want to help you protect the life of that child. It doesn’t matter how you feel about me because you can’t do this on your own,” the man affirms.

The older witch shakes her head at the statement. “I would much rather just take your life since you’re the cause of this. You have no right to suddenly want to play the hero. I may have done a lot of things I regret but you’re worse. You’re the wicked witch of this story.” Maxwell blinks but keeps his will.

“The idea of it sounds like heaven to me but must I remind you that it was _your_ choice to bargain another child’s life for your own. Certainly, you can’t hold me accountable for the powerful enemies you created in the process,” he states before stepping closer. “I had no choice but to act on my orders.” Freya’s face twitches with words unspoken and Maxwell takes the moment to further explain himself.

“Since I was ten years old I’ve been forced to do the will of others. Because of my unique circumstance of being the only magic wielder in a thousand years able to enact marks, I’ve paid the price of my own humanity. I was orphaned before my abilities were discovered. I never had any parents, I never knew what it was like to be in a peaceful environment. To never go hungry or bear the bruises for just being placed in someone’s charge. My whole existence was treated like trash on the sidewalk.”

Freya finds herself suddenly listening intently. There was no expectation for the man to bear all but here he was doing so and she certainly didn’t expect to be hearing this story.

“When I was found by a powerful witch he took me in. He thought he could make something of me and unfortunately for me he did. Through his magic I was bonded into servitude so that he could use me for his own will. I was at his beck and call until I got older, stronger. My freethinking was something he could not afford to lose his greatest money-making weapon to, so at the adventurous age of twenty-three I was semi immortalized against my own will. What’s the point of power and control if it doesn’t last forever? There was no need to keep me around after that when I’m just a quick phone call away,” he quips sarcastically.

His hands find their way into the pockets of his coat. “Further down the line I found myself in more misfortune. I was made ageless altogether, never to be fully human or anything ever again. I’m simply haunted by dead souls all around me,” he finishes.

An unreadable expression overtakes the blonde’s face as she processes his story. A lot of it sounded too close to home and she can’t believe that she actually relates to him in more ways than imaginable. She licks her lips before finally responding with a cross of her arms.

“Even if this is out of your control I can never trust you for what you did to my daughter. You could always just be used against me again,” she claims.

“Fighting me won’t do anything to correct your situation and refusing my help is not in your best interest. You haven’t even told Keelin yet and I very well expect that it won’t end well for you,” he states.

Freya clenches her jaw tightly as the supervisor comes into view with Mikaela in tow. Maxwell backs away to allow them room before waving at the toddler. He then retreats away from the scene leaving the conflicted woman to her thoughts. Mikaela scurries over to her mother who happily picks her up into her arms.

“Hey, did you have a good day?” Mikaela nods her head before looking around her mother in search of her newest friend. The witch tries to gauge the child who’s too occupied to look at her face. “What’s the matter? What are you looking for,” the blonde inquires of her daughter.

“Macks, Macks,” the toddler exclaims.

The mother gazes at her daughter with a fire in the pit of her stomach.  
________________________________________

Freya enters the home with flustered feelings and Mikaela babbling away while on her hip. Keelin virtually comes floating into the room to greet the two important girls in her life with a smile.

“Hey, guys. Did I miss anything eventful?”

Mikaela continues to sing her made up song and Keelin gazes up at her girlfriend with a grin. “Well, if Mikaela is going to just completely ignore me don’t tell me that you’re doing the same,” the werewolf jokes. The taller woman forces a smile and leans down to kiss the beaming woman. She pulls back to see satisfaction swiped across her adorable face. 

“That’s more like it,” she quips.

“Is there a reason why you’re so happy, I mean more than usual,” the blonde asks with a raised eyebrow.

Keelin excitedly bites her entire bottom lip as her eyes light up at the question. Although she’s currently ripping at the seams, the witch can’t help but be delighted at the woman’s happiness. This is all she ever wanted for the woman of her affection. It tears her up to know that she could instantly snatch it away from her in the blink of an eye with all of her secrets.

“Well, I’m glad you asked Miss Mikaelson because yes, there is a reason why I’m exploding with happiness. I…decided to take the job at the hospital. I mean it’s what I’ve wanted all along and I can’t just ignore that right? With my shift, I’ll be able to be here for Mikaela during the day and of course I trust your magical hands to take good care of her through the night. It all works out. Right? This will all work out right?”

Freya shakes her head at the woman’s rambling and sudden erratic questioning before grabbing one of her hands.

“Hey. Of course, it will all work out. I know that you really want this and I’m willing to do anything to make it happen for you okay? It’s not like I don’t already have her at night and I can get her ready in the morning as well. Everything is okay,” the witch assures.

A wide grin slowly spreads across the shorter woman’s face as she gazes up into reassuring green eyes. She nods her head in agreement before clasping her hands together in conclusion.

“Okay. So, we’re really doing this. _I’m_ really doing this. I’m going back to the emergency room after more than a year without it. Wow,” the werewolf says in disbelief. The blonde chuckles lightly before lifting her girlfriend’s chin. “I’m proud of you,” she says with a genuine smile. Keelin beams at her and allows their lips to crash into each other for a few seconds. 

“Now. In honor of your great feat I volunteer to be in charge of bath time tonight,” Freya announces. Keelin playfully rolls her eyes before smiling brightly.

“You’re _always_ in charge of bath time. I just watch as Mikaela relentlessly splashes you with water and blow bubbles in your eyes. Isn’t that right Roo Roo?”

Mikaela bounces in Freya’s arms with her own miniature ones thrusting into the air excitedly. “Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles,” the toddler chants. Both mothers laugh at their daughter until Keelin’s face softens. “But I think I’ll take this one for the team since I’ll be missing out pretty soon,” she offers. 

Freya nods in understanding and allows herself to sink back into her sullen thoughts before Keelin leads her family to the kitchen for dinner.


	6. INDECENT PROPOSALS PART I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin proposes a celebratory date night; The night goes well until KC is unable to handle Mikaela's magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To avoid confusion since there are things happening simultaneously, it jumps back and forth between the two locations. There's also a flashback and as always I keep those in bold and italics. 
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) ARIZONA - Cross My Mind Pt. 2: KC plays around with Mikaela.
> 
> 2) Mahalia - Borrowers: Freya and Keelin share a dance on their date.
> 
> 3) Until The Ribbon Breaks - One Way or Another: Mikaela's display of power scares KC as they play hide and seek.
> 
> 4) AK - Lost in Thoughts: FLASHBACK of Hope calming Mikaela down.
> 
> 5) HONNE - The Night: Keelin eases Freya's worry after catching her finishing a boundary spell and they kiss.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

“So, I know this is last minute but I was hoping…you’d join me for a celebratory dinner before I start at the hospital.”

Freya looks up from the bathtub where Mikaela is splashing around and raises a questioning eyebrow at her girlfriend. She lowers herself from her knees to sit down on her legs. “It’s already eight o’clock at night. Shouldn’t you have proposed this idea beforehand?” Keelin bites her lip before stepping into the sizable bathroom.

“I know,” she drags. “But I kinda came up with it on the spot and I didn’t want you to sucker your way out of it.” Freya narrows her eyes at the woman and Keelin gives her a challenging look. “You know I’m right. You like to stay all holed up in your lair or here playing with Mikaela which is both terrifying and endearing but lacking an important aspect,” the werewolf explains. She is met with an adorable tilt of a head from the blonde.

“And that would be?”

“Me! You’re missing out on all the love and attention I want to give you.”

The witch sighs before using a hand to push around the warm water in the bathtub. Mikaela sails her toy boat through the waves and cheers. “Keelin. I don’t think I’m up for it tonight.” Keelin lowers herself in front of the woman with a pout of her lips. “You don’t feel up to wining and dining with your amazing girlfriend who’s also the mother of the best kid you could ever hope to have?”

Freya rolls her eyes at the guilt trip method before looking down. The truth is that she knows all of these things to be true. Yes, her girlfriend is amazing and she has given her the family of her dreams, a beautiful little girl who loves her. She drowns her in love and kisses and sweet little gestures. Most of all she understands her and chose not to leave with every road bump they’ve encountered on their journey.

Quite frankly she’s been ready to marry her for so long that she thinks she might combust from the anticipation at some point. That’s why she’s been waiting for the right moment to pop the question lately.

Marriage was something they had set their sights on after the birth of their daughter but neither of them knew how to approach the situation. They both didn’t have the best track records in the commitment department due to the long periods of loneliness within their respective lives. Freya would be lying through her teeth if she said that she had completely forgotten about the multitude of Keelin’s past casual ventures. Sure, she was younger and dodging the truth about her heritage but throughout that period she was also dodging real healthy relationships. Then as she matured her attempts at true commitment were spoiled as made obvious by the situation with the orthopedic surgeon.

On the other hand, Keelin couldn’t even begin to forget about Freya’s life imprisonment to her aunt and the devastating loss of her first love/almost family. Then of course there was her subsequent devotion to her unruly siblings that left little time for her to fall in love or even entertain a committed relationship. She had heard the stories of the blonde’s attempts at fun and is still surprised to this day about the brooding witch’s wild side. It brings her a smile and amusement so that she can completely forget about her girlfriend’s past attempt to bring a suitor home.

The fact of the matter is that they had both just kinda happened to each other. The love that they share was not one that they were looking for consciously even though deep down they both longed for a connection. They wanted to be known and understood for once in their lives. They found each other in the most unforeseen way and proceeded to fall very hard for one another. It all happened so quickly at that too. But there was no game plan or guide for them to use afterwards. Still they knew long before the culmination of their last year together that they wanted to only be with each other for the rest of their lives.

So, here was Freya contemplating dropping the bomb for the past week. Every time she looked at her she wanted to go for it but there was still those reservations of her own insecurities. This is still new to her. Right now, she isn’t sure she wants to be in such a romantic setting with the woman. She doesn’t want the words to come tumbling out before she can even decide that she’s ready. On top of that now was not the time to have Mikaela out of her sight. There are too many things on her mind.

Keelin seems to gauge the various reservations spinning within her girlfriend’s head and decides to ease her mind.

“It’s okay if you really don’t want to go out. I’m not gonna force you but I think it would be great to have some quality time between us. I already have the perfect babysitter too.”

“I want to spend every moment I can with you, always but I don’t want to leave Mikaela alone with some stranger,” the witch explains before biting her lip.

Keelin’s features soften as she moves closer to her uncertain girlfriend. “One of these days you’re gonna have to get the fact that we’re starting a good life through your thick skull. I know we’ve been through so much, _you’ve_ been through soo much pain and hardship but Freya, this is our shot at happiness. I get why you’re so reluctant to believe it but please…please just believe in me when I say that you don’t have to put so much on yourself. Alright? We’re fine. We’re happy and safe, we’re okay. Every super witch hero deserves a break once in a while and you are more than entitled to some peace of mind. Okay?”

The woman finishes her speech with pleading eyes and Freya can’t help but genuinely smile at how much she cares for her. She knows that she is beyond lucky to have a woman like the one in front of her who just loves her freely and unconditionally. She would never deserve her in this life or even the next. It leaves her feeling on cloud nine but also that much guiltier for not being able to measure up to the perfect soul.

“I suppose…if you already have arrangements then we might as well use them,” Freya offers up with a sigh. Keelin’s eyes instantly light up from the first words her girlfriend utters and she plants a huge kiss on the woman before jumping to her feet. The blonde is wide eyed at the reaction but finds her lips slowly slipping into a small smile.

“This is great, especially since the babysitter will be here any minute,” the wolf exclaims. A pair of eyebrows instantly furrow at the remark. “So, you just assumed I’d give in to your pleading one way or another?” Keelin shrugs her shoulders with a bright smile. “Come on, you can’t resist my puppy dog pout!” The blonde shakes her head before turning to pour some water over the sudsy toddler playing in the tub. The doorbell rings and she looks to her standing girlfriend who grins back at her.

“That’s her. How about you get Mikaela out and into her pajamas while I get that.”

Freya nods and redirects her attention back to the child as Keelin practically skips away to let their guest into the home.

“Alright little one, come here. It’s time to get you into some comfy clothes. Can’t say that mama will be doing the same though,” she remarks while rising to her feet. She grabs the nearby dry towel and opens it up to her daughter. Mikaela looks up at her before offering her own arms and Freya scoops her up. Turning around, she steps out of the bathroom and makes her way toward the nursery while towel drying the toddler.

Upon entering the room, Freya begins tending to her routine of moisturizing and dressing her daughter. Like always, Keelin had already picked out sleepwear for the little girl. She opted for a clean set of purple matching top and bottoms with butterflies on them. After providing a fresh diaper, the witch easily slips the shirt over her little kangaroo’s head before pulling the tiny pants up to her waist. When she’s done she once again lifts the child and settles her into her arms. The intoxicating scent of a newly bathed Mikaela fills her nostrils and she smiles before kissing her on top of her little head.

“Let’s go see who mommy is talking to. You wanna see huh?”

Mikaela nods and claps her little hands. “Mommy,” she exclaims. The pair navigate their way to the front of the home and find Keelin conversating with the presumed babysitter. Freya intensely takes in the sight of the stranger. Sure, she appears to be the typical wide-eyed teenager but in the witch’s perpetually alert eyes you could never be too suspicious. Her guard is one to rarely be let down and she’d rather be wrong now than suffering later. It was better to be safe than sorry. 

The child on her hip points a finger toward the stranger and addresses her simply as “girl”. Keelin and the teenager both turn toward the source of the little call before offering matching smiles. Freya slightly narrows her eyes as her girlfriend comes over to them.

“Just in time,” she states before turning back toward the younger girl. “This is Mikaela.” The babysitter waves at the toddler as Keelin holds out her arms to accept her daughter. The little girl eagerly slips into her embrace to get a better look at the new arrival. Keelin looks between Freya and KC. “Freya, this is KC. She volunteers at the doctor’s office and seeing as my uptight boss is willing to break a few laws to have her there, I can’t help but trust her with my baby,” she remarks while making a face at the giggling child.

The blonde folds her arms before observing the suddenly uncertain teenager. “Well, that makes one of us,” she states evenly. The werewolf rolls her eyes and turns toward the subject of her newfound fondness.

“Please ignore the brooding blonde. She’s my other half and I love her but she has attachment issues especially when it comes to this one,” Keelin explains comically while lifting her daughter in emphasis.

Mikaela reaches out her little hand with determination. Light groans fill the air as she fights her way closer to the babysitter. KC beams and moves over so that she’s standing in front of Keelin before accepting the adorable gesture. She gently shakes the child’s hand and holds on.

“Hi there cutie! I’m KC. Can you say K…C,” she inquires with an animated voice.

The toddler smiles excitedly as she presses her lips together. “K…C…” The teenager finds herself utterly endeared by the cute little drawl and laughs lightly. “Yup, that’s it!” Her vision falls on Keelin who’s sharing a soft laugh. “Oh my god she’s soo adorable. You didn’t tell me I’d fall madly in love!” The wolf shakes her head at the remark. “I guess I should’ve warned you about her charms but don’t go declaring your love for her in front of this one. Her mama’s more like an overprotective dad. Watch out or she might eat you alive,” the older woman jokes.

KC chances a glance at the tall brooding blonde and laughs nervously before leaning in closer to her new friend. “She’s really tall and scary,” she whispers causing a hearty chuckle to escape from Keelin. “Yeah, two of the qualities that had me swooning over the moon when I first met her,” the wolf retorts sarcastically. A throat clearing breaks up the banter as both goofballs curve their necks toward the topic of their private discussion.

“But she _is_ really pretty,” KC quickly adds as the blonde raises an eyebrow.

“Would it be too much to ask for a moment with you, KC? Alone.” The teen raises her eyebrows so far up they threaten to make contact with her hairline and Freya only waits for her answer with a blank expression.

Keelin immediately steps in, confused by her girlfriend’s sudden request. “Freya, I was joking. No need to actually _ask_ about her intentions with our daughter.” Her statement is met with an unamused roll of green eyes and a deep sigh. “You don’t have to leave the room. I just feel as if I should at least look the temporary protector of my daughter in the eyes before bestowing such responsibility. This is my pride and joy we’re talking about,” the older woman proclaims. 

Before the werewolf can speak up she watches as the younger girl walks around her and stops right in front of the paranoid Mikaelson.

“It’s okay. I understand,” KC affirms with a burst of confidence. The mysterious woman in front of her is definitely rattling her nerves but she has always been the one to want to prove herself no matter what. The naysayers and skeptics have always particularly irked her. However, she can’t even lie and say that this current situation isn’t the sum of all of her fears. There’s a strange and unsettling aura about the tall figure facing her. Obviously, she’s super defensive and protective over her kid which is understandable but there seems to be a very old-fashioned maturity about her. She has never crossed paths with anyone like that.

Freya nods to acknowledge the honorable choice before extending a hand to the young girl. KC raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow in silent inquiry as the older woman slightly tilts her head.

“If you don’t mind,” she provides simply. Keelin spectates the scene with wandering thoughts and Mikaela looks on with a curious gaze before babbling away.

Finally, the teenager slowly offers up her right hand and the blonde promptly takes it before flipping it so that her palm is facing downward. The witch concentrates her magic and receives a crystal-clear reading that confirms that she is merely dealing with a regular doe-eyed young adult. The girl is as human as it can get, all of her insecurity and wondrous spirit shining through. Freya releases her grip and lifts her chin.

“I expect that you’ll take good care of my daughter,” she quietly demands. KC quickly nods and rests her awkward hand at her side. Without another word, Freya steps away from her and retreats back toward her bedroom. The dumbfounded young girl slowly twists around to face the two remaining members of the family. Keelin tilts her head with wide eyes as she lightly rocks Mikaela.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting to get my soul searched,” KC remarks while blinking. “I feel like I’m the one she should be taking out to dinner now.”

“I guess I should’ve also told you about her intensity. But you took it like a champ. I’m proud of you,” Keelin retorts. “Let me get you a well-deserved snack.”

Mother and daughter watch intently as the babysitter drags her body over to the couch and collapses onto it with a bewildered look. The girl sinks into the furniture and sighs her way into relaxation.  
________________________________________

Freya picks at the well put together but unappealing food on her plate and Keelin sighs deeply. They’re sitting across from each other at a small table for two in a cozy but chic restaurant. The place is dimly lit save for the strings of light dangling from the ceiling above them and soft music fills the air along with the chattering of other patrons around them. Unique paintings are mounted to every wall and the overall architecture of the building is marvelous. 

The top floor is reserved for dining while a flight of stairs complete with original artwork designed onto it leads customers down to the first floor where dancing is encouraged. The environment is completely romantic and intimate which explains why Keelin was so excited to discover it. Freya on the other hand is feeling tense at the scene and uneased by being away from her daughter for the first night in her life. Still she tries her best to enjoy the time she’s spending with the woman of her dreams.  
Keelin leans over closer to her date as a stranger recites poetry into a microphone.

“You can relax a bit, it won’t kill you,” she quips.

The blonde sighs before looking over at her girlfriend. She shakes her head in disappointment. The whole night would be ruined at her own hands. 

“I’m sorry. I’m really trying, I’m just…” 

The statement drifts into the abyss and Keelin places a hand on top of the struggling woman’s. “Hey, it’s fine. I just wanted you to be enjoying this not dreading it. We can always just go home. Maybe watch a movie or just talk?” Freya gazes at her intensely before shaking her head again. “No. We’re supposed to be celebrating something that’s important to you. Whatever makes you happy, makes me happy.”

“Freya, honestly it doesn’t matter what we do as long as I’m with you,” the wolf assures.

“Well, what you want matters to me. Anything you desire, I want to give to you. Let me show you that,” the witch asserts. “Okay?”

A grin materializes on the lips of the younger woman. She bites her bottom lip before falling back into her own chair. It wasn’t the answer she was expecting but it surely is the one she wants. The passionate side of the Mikaelson was always the side that excited her. It made her own strong emotions feel justified. It satisfied her.

“Okay.” 

“Okay.”

A genuine grin plants itself onto the blonde’s lips and in turn a trademark smile is offered by the brunette.  
________________________________________

Meanwhile, KC chases Mikaela down through the family room before finally catching up to the energetic toddler. In a swift motion, she scoops the little girl up into her arms and comes crashing down onto the couch, allowing her to sit up on her stomach. The child gazes down upon her while giggling and she shares her own laughter until she notices the intricate jewelry dangling from her neck. Instantly, she becomes transfixed by the unique chain with its sun and moon pendants. 

_Why would anyone even think about letting a baby wear an obviously expensive necklace like this? I mean sure their home is nice but they seem like regular old modest people._

The babysitter brings her hand up to smooth a thumb over the moon pendant as she observes the adornment. She carefully sits up before looking at the child with a soft smile.

“How about I take this off and put it up for safe keeping. We can play a few rounds of…hide and go seek!”

Mikaela squeals in excitement as the teenager tickles her before standing up. She leans down and reaches around the toddler’s neck to unhook the chain. Lifting it up, she observes it once more before placing it on a nearby book case. When she returns she is greeted with tiny arms reaching up to her. With a smile, she kindly accepts them and lifts the child up to gently sit on her hip.

“Shall we play,” she asks.

“Play,” the little girl exclaims.

KC chuckles at the child bursting with energy. “Alright. Let’s go start from homebase.”  
________________________________________

“Even with your undeterred sulking and adorable worried vibe you’re still a killer dancer.”

Freya promptly looks down at the woman in front of her. They’re dancing in the middle of a few other couples at the restaurant. She shakes her head lightly to rid herself of her runaway thoughts.

“I’m sorry. I know this night is supposed to be about you…”

Keelin cuts her off softly with a little shush and shake of her own head. “It’s about all of us. It’s about our beautiful family,” she says with a loving smile. Freya tilts her head softly at the words and lets her inner thoughts come tumbling out of her. “Then why aren’t we spending it with Mikaela,” she inquires. Keelin looks at her in amusement.

“Because I want you all to myself Miss Mikaelson. Is your full attention so much to ask for?”

The werewolf smiles her trademark smile and Freya can’t help but to grin at the beautiful sight. The blonde lowers her head and eyes the woman confidently. 

“I suppose not,” she retorts.

Suddenly, she pushes Keelin out away from her and spins the smaller woman so that she’s turned around within her embrace. The wolf grins at the warmth surrounding her and Freya gently sets her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder so that their faces are touching. The brunette melts a little into the contact of their skin.

“Very smooth. There’s no way you’re not getting lucky tonight after that move.”

Freya playfully rolls her eyes with a light chuckle before spinning Keelin back around to face her head on. After a few moments of leering, they instinctively pull back into each other. Their bodies are drawn together, flush against one another. The taller woman brings her lips to the other woman’s ear.

“I look forward to it Dr. Murphy,” she says softly.

They pull back to share intense glances before Keelin lays her head on Freya’s chest. The witch sighs contently at the gesture and continues to lead their pace with a protective arm wrapped around her girlfriend’s back.  
________________________________________

KC explores the narrow hallway in search of the hiding little girl. 

“I’m coming to get you Mikaela,” she announces with enthusiasm. As she moves, the lights begin to flicker a bit and her smile is erased as she peers up at the ceiling. “Mikaela?” She continues to look around and hears the pitter patter of small feet. Whipping behind her, she is met with nothing but silence and an empty hall.

“Little one,” she calls again.

Her steps become more careful as she squints her eyes to explore the home in the fading light. The total silence is beginning to cause the uneasiness settling into her bones and she whips her head at another sudden movement.

“I thought I was supposed to be looking for you…Mikaela? It’s time to come here now, I don’t want you to get scared.” The lights abruptly cut to pitch black darkness and she stills in her place with a slight tremble. “Mikaela!” Her vision is restored and the fit of giggling alerts her to the child several feet behind her. The little girl is standing in the middle of the walkway with a huge grin plastered on her face and her favorite teddy bear in hand. The babysitter sighs deeply before shaking her head at the toddler in her care.

“You nearly scared me to death. Come on,” the older girl softly commands while extending a hand to the child. Mikaela shakes her head in defiance and points right back at her with a tiny finger. “Play,” she exclaims with joy. KC shakes her head right back in response. “No, it’s time to settle down now. I already let you sucker me out of bedtime once.”

She moves toward Mikaela and notices a tremor reverberating around them. The framed photos on the walls are slightly displaced and worry begins to overtake the young caregiver. _Kentucky isn’t exactly the home of earthquakes but it’s still possible, right? Just my luck to be screwed the first night on the job._

“Bear-zilla,” Mikaela shouts. KC gazes at her wearily just as the small teddy bear leaves the child’s hand and begins levitating toward her. Shock would never properly describe the feeling her body slips into. She gapes at the grinning toddler.

“This is not real,” she mutters to herself while shaking her head. Mikaela tilts her head and strolls over to her sitter. “K…C, play!” 

The framed pictures fling from the wall causing the older girl’s fight or flight to kick in. KC races to the family room and frantically searches for her cell phone with no such luck. Turning around, she moves toward the kitchen but slips on an inconveniently placed pile of toys. After tumbling down to the floor, she hears laughter from the source of her newfound fear. Any other time the sweet sound would delight her but in the current context it sends a chill down her spine.

The items that broke her fall are now floating up toward the ceiling. She scrambles to her feet but before she can carry out her next plan she feels an invisible force tossing her into the wall. Mikaela approaches and excitedly jumps in the air.

“Got you! Funny,” her tiny voice chimes.

A pair of terrified brown eyes peer up at the supernatural toddler. As if on cue Maxwell saunters into the space with his usual cool demeanor. The teenager is even more perplexed and frightened.

“Wha-what? Who are you,” she questions with peaked anxiety. The tall man crouches down and regards her with a simple quip. “I guess I’m the sandman at the moment.” With that statement, he opens up his palm to blow a white powder into the girl’s face. Her consciousness fades accordingly and he gently brings her head to rest on the floor. Maxwell then directs his attention to the child standing next to him and sighs plainly.

“You are a mischievous little witch Mikaela Mikaelson. Where did you learn such tricks?”

Mikaela looks back at him with wide sparkling eyes. “Twicks,” she drawls in response.  
________________________________________

**_“So, I close my eyes like this. And you run away so I can’t get you. Okay?”_ **

**_Hope supplies the proper gestures to make sure that her baby cousin understands the game. Mikaela nods excitedly prompting the older Mikaelson to smile. “Okay, good. Now I’m closing my eyes.” Hope covers her vision with both of her hands and begins counting loudly. “One…two…”_ **

**_Immediately Mikaela starts running away and Hope is alerted to this by the sound of the toddler brushing past the tall grass and wild plants in the field._ **

**_“Three!”_ **

**_A smirk plays across her lips and she suddenly throws out a hand, feeling the tingling sensation of her magic flowing through it. The smaller cousin is halted and dragged back towards her. She chuckles at the surprised expression on the little girl’s face. “Got you,” she exclaims proudly. However, little Mikaela Mikaelson is less than thrilled by the older child’s antics._ **

**_She fusses around in the telekinetic hold and releases a high-pitched squeal. Hope’s eyes widen as Mikaela thrusts her back with her own magic but being the more experienced witch, she gains her bearings and successfully blocks the temper tantrum directed at her. Her eyes focus on the fierce little child’s display of frustration until it dials down a bit. When she is confident enough she takes a few steps toward the toddler and places her palms on her puffy little cheeks. Light blue eyes pour into distressed hazel ones._ **

**_“It’s okay. I’m sorry,” Hope soothes in a calming tone._ **

**_Mikaela finally relaxes as they stand there alone in the field, sunshine highlighting their forms. The cousins appear to be encapsulated by a magical glow and tiny winged creatures flutter around them. In the distance, Freya pulls back from intervening as she watches the scene unfold in amazement._ **

**_Residing within the eldest Mikaelson is a struggle of fear and love. Her little baby was already experiencing the foretold emotional instability, even going as far as challenging her bigger gifted relative. Although she no longer has to worry about her daughter’s very own being consuming herself, now she fears that she could develop the will to hurt others._ **

**_But there is currently hope in the form of her sweet niece who is effortlessly tending to the toddler. Freya waits for a few more moments and then trudges over to the two little witches._**  
________________________________________

Freya sighs harshly and shakes her head with impatience.

“Can you drive any faster please?”

Keelin throws an incredulous look her way but focuses back on the road ahead of them. “Freya, I’m already going over the speed limit. And for what exactly? I trust your instincts but you’ve been prone to rash decision making whenever your emotions are involved.”

“This is not about my emotions Keelin. I just have a bad feeling and I can’t ignore it. Call it witch’s intuition or something,” the older woman explains. Keelin scoffs and tosses her hair back.

“More like witch’s paranoia. You couldn’t have just enjoyed _one_ night for yourself? Seriously it’s like a whole new level of self-sabotage. There’s nothing going wrong. KC would’ve called,” she logically states.

Freya brushes the statement off with a look of determination. “Yeah, well I’m not exactly sure of that. I just need to get home and fix whatever this is,” the witch declares stubbornly. Keelin rolls her eyes at the ridiculousness of what their night has become. “This is insane. For god’s sake, you have blown this whole situation out of proportion.”

“Let’s just get home Keelin, okay?”

“Fine,” the werewolf sighs.

The rest of the short drive is spent in raging silence as Freya tries to keep her feelings at bay. Keelin refrains from ranting about her girlfriend’s deep seeded denial of happiness and security. The moment Keelin shifts the car into park is the exact moment Freya jumps out of the vehicle without another second to waste. The blonde marches up to their front door and quickly lets herself in before finding Mikaela fast asleep on top of a stirring KC.

She stops and blinks several times as Keelin comes to rest at her side. A huge grin sweeps across the werewolf’s face when she takes in the sight. Her body is already buzzing from the wine but the scene in front of her suddenly gives her the effect of being tipsy.

The babysitter rubs at her face and looks around in her obviously disoriented state before noticing the two pairs of eyes centered on her. With slight nervousness, she slides herself up on the couch careful as not to rouse the sleeping toddler draped across her body.

“Hey. I must’ve slipped into sleep for a second because this little one was a ball of energy the entire night,” the teenager claims. 

Freya quirks an eyebrow suspiciously but Keelin only smiles softly at the information. The latter steps forward and gently scoops the child up into her arms to allow the sitter her freedom. “You did fine. She really likes you,” the wolf assures. “I’ll see you soon. Get home safely.” KC nods while sitting up on the furniture to put her shoes on. Keelin leaves to go lay Mikaela down in the nursery and Freya gazes upon the girl with a sigh.

“My daughter appears to be comfortable with you. I appreciate the care you’ve given her tonight,” the woman admits. The younger girl rises to her feet and shrugs tiredly. “That’s what you paid me for. And either way she’s a special little girl.” Freya nods accordingly and goes to see the babysitter out.

After she shuts the front door she’s left to her relentless thoughts. Her instincts were never wrong. There had to be a reason for the sketchy feeling that kept nagging her during her time with her girlfriend. She was finally loosening up and actually enjoying the night out. If Keelin would’ve had it her way they would’ve been on the fast track to wine city. The woman was becoming especially affectionate and handsy. Freya was more than satisfied by the feeling of being wanted, desired. But all of that went out the window as soon as that eerie intuition started assaulting her. There’s definitely something that she’s missing here.

Out of commitment to the thought, her investigation commences. Her eyes explore the space for anything out of place while her mind searches for anything out of the ordinary. The home appears to be exactly as she left it and she can’t sense any malicious energies. She couldn’t be disappointed at the safety of her daughter but she couldn’t help but feel bamboozled by the instincts she prided herself on. The situation is mind blowing. 

Just as she’s ready to ease up she notices the slightest displacement of a piece of furniture. Most people wouldn’t have even noticed it but then again, she’s not like most people. She swiftly moves over to the small shelf and crouches down to examine it. Within seconds, her eyes fall upon a powdery residue and instinctively her fingers swipe some of it up.

_Someone did a spell here. But there were no casualties and my daughter is still right here in my care. This doesn’t make sense…Maxwell. Of course, it would be him here playing both sides._

Freya stands up in record time and follows the familiar path to her cabinet located in the corner of her bedroom. She waves a hand in front of it and pulls the wooden door open to sift through the various magical items it contains. After grabbing the things that she needs she returns to the front of the home and speedily enacts a boundary spell.

_Now that should keep the untrustworthy witch out of my life and away from my family._

The Mikaelson witch stands there restlessly and deep in thought as a presence enters the area unbeknownst to her senses.

“And just when I thought you couldn’t get any more paranoid.”

Freya whips around to see Keelin observing her from a few feet away. The woman is a bit tired but still has an obvious buzz about her so the older woman comes a little closer. “Are you feeling okay? Need some water,” she inquires. The werewolf gives her an unimpressed look.

“Nice try. Freya, what’s going on? I told you that everything would be fine and look, everything is fine. KC did a very good job. The house is in one piece and Mikaela has obviously taken a liking to her.”

The blonde shoots her vision downward and remains quiet prompting her girlfriend to step up right in front of her. She tries to reach her eye line before speaking again. “Freya, talk to me please. You were just starting to relax and have fun. I’m confused,” she states while tilting her head full of burning questions. The quiet woman makes the big mistake of peering up at her girlfriend and is instantly hit with her selflessly caring expression. It pokes at her emotions so she looks away with a short sigh.

“Sometimes…I get a feeling that makes me physically sick. It’s like I can feel my happiness on borrowed time, like it’s slipping away from me one way or another,” she admits to her own dismay.

The soft and understanding gaze that she avoids meeting would be enough to tear through her chest and wrap around her heart. Keelin knows that mending the woman’s tortured soul is an uphill battle that may never be won but it’s a battle that she signed up for without looking back. So, she carefully takes her girlfriend’s hands into her own and grip them tightly.

“Look at me, Freya,” she passionately commands. After a few moments, the witch reluctantly does as she’s told. “Your happiness is safe with me and our daughter. It’s protected by your love for us and our love for you. The dangers of the world are _always_ going to be there, sometimes even in our own backyard. But I know that you’ll always do your best to shield us from them. It’s one of the things I love most about you but it’s also one of the things I loathe about you too,” she truthfully states.

Keelin suddenly let’s go of the hands within her own to sweetly cradle her girlfriend’s face before continuing. 

“You’re not superwoman, you’re not indestructible and it scares me to know that I can’t control the decisions you make when you’re being protective. It scares me when you get so inside of yourself and paranoid. People lose their minds living like that. I know that you’re haunted by your past but you _have_ to be more mindful of your future. A future where you get to live happily ever after with the people who love you most. I saw you letting yourself believe in that those last few months and Freya, it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Your happiness is now mine. So please just _try_ to remember that. You’re my hero but you’re my soulmate first,” she finishes with conviction.

After her speech, she sees the moment where green eyes light up. She can see the twinkle of a tear forming in Freya’s left eye but it never falls. It looks just like a star shining for Keelin and in all her emotionally flustered glory Freya grabs onto her lover’s face to show her the feelings bursting inside of her. She passionately kisses her and the werewolf’s own hands lower from the taller woman’s face down to her waist. Keelin holds her like she’s the most precious thing in the world.

The heat of the moment has Keelin backing Freya into the door as they start to devour each other with untamed hunger. Freya abruptly breaks up the kisses after a while causing Keelin to furrow her eyebrows. “What? There isn’t a full moon happening, is it? I don’t think I’m ready for another Mikaela just yet,” the wolf quips.

Freya chuckles at her girlfriend’s joke and they both smile while knowing that creating another child would never be quite that easy. Nothing would ever be able to recreate that night they shared over a year ago. The witch finally shakes her head at the question.

“I just don’t want to further ruin a romantic night by ‘hooking up’ on the floor like a teenager,” she explains.

“Or maybe you just want to be near the baby monitors,” the younger woman retorts. 

Keelin gives her a knowing look and Freya releases a guilty smile. “That too.” A pair of brown eyes playfully roll at the admission. “Mhm, I thought so. Well come on mama. I’m just glad that those things work one way,” the werewolf quips. She pulls her girlfriend in the direction of their bedroom where they spend the entire night entangled and lost in the love that they share.


	7. INDECENT PROPOSALS PART II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freya takes a huge step within her relationship with Keelin; Keelin relives a shaky part of her past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beautiful moments right before the angst begins...
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Mahalia - Marry Me: Freya proposes to Keelin.
> 
> 2) Fleurie - Soldier: Keelin tells Bridget that she saw her first kill.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/
> 
> Kept forgetting but here's a little poster for this fic:  
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/post/165253727092/a-life-unprotected-by-calzonafeels-me

Keelin stirs and groans at the relentless sunlight streaming into her bedroom from the patio door. Turning over, she reaches out an arm only to be met with the empty space her girlfriend once occupied. A sigh of a thousand echoes escapes her lips while the disappointment toward her ever-restless lover sets in. However, the sweet smell of pastries and the familiar sound of jazz music claims her senses. It’s enough to will her to a sitting position as she fights her sleepiness and within a couple of minutes she’s scouring her dresser for an oversized tee shirt to put on.

Once the plain white lounge wear is slipped over her head and slightly hanging off her body, she leaves the master suite to find the source of her pleasure.

As she saunters to the kitchen her eyes fall upon her favorite little girl. She’s seated in her highchair while playing with a small fairy toy. Looking around the place she is also met with a beautifully prepared breakfast as her girlfriend shuffles around, donning a kitchen towel on her shoulder. The table is completely covered with iced cinnamon rolls, biscuits, grits, omelets, bacon, orange juice, and a steaming pot of coffee. The sight alone has the werewolf nearly drooling in excitement.

While Freya is focusing on her task at the sink, Keelin takes the moment to finally surpass the threshold. She walks over to her daughter and places a kiss on her little head. Freya soon follows her and places a small plate of food in front of Mikaela. The toddler immediately abandons her fairy toy and digs into her awaiting breakfast. Her parents chuckle sweetly at the action.

“Looks like I better hurry up before she devours my plate too. I _cannot_ wait to stuff my face with this amazing meal you’ve graced us with,” Keelin remarks with a child-like glow.

“It’s the least I could do since I kept you up all night. I figured you’d be nearly starving this morning,” the blonde retorts as she takes in her girlfriend’s thinly veiled form.

The werewolf pulls her in by the waist and shows her gratitude with a chaste kiss. She hugs her warm body closer before pulling away slightly to beam up at her. “I’m so happy with my little family, soo happy right now,” she softly expresses. Freya offers a tentative smile while nodding and Keelin quirks an eyebrow as the woman carefully releases herself from their embrace. 

“Freya,” she questions with a tilt of her head.

The witch looks down and reaches around to her back pocket to retrieve an item before holding it in her hands. The smaller woman eyes her intently before following her girlfriend’s line of vision down to her open palm. In the hand between them is a chain with a sterling silver ring attached to it. Keelin watches as the blonde unhooks it and slides the piece of jewelry off the necklace. Finally, the eldest Mikaelson gazes up into the curious brown eyes staring right back at her. 

“This…is the ring that my father proposed when asking for my mother’s hand in marriage,” she starts while holding the ring between her thumb and pointer fingers. Brown eyes widen at the unexpected information. “My mother was unable to cherish it forever but I’ve kept it in my care as a reminder of what could’ve been. And it’s the only thing I have left of him from before.”

Keelin steps impossibly closer and lands her hand on top of the other woman’s. She knows how passionate the Mikaelson is about her father and how much she still dreams of the life she could’ve had with him in it.

“But also, I…want to believe in love. In my life, there have been times where I’ve sworn it away. Then there were times where I fought it with all that I had. And…other times where I had lost it so quickly after finally realizing that…that it was the reason for living.”

Freya casts her eyes down to their hands and Keelin finds herself suddenly reeling in her thoughts. _Is this going where I think it’s going? No, she couldn’t be asking me to marry her, could she? This is insane but wonderful. But no, we’re not living a fairytale. There’s still so much work to do. I won’t get my hopes up._ With emotional green eyes finally falling upon her, the werewolf is shocked right out of her racing thoughts. Suddenly, it’s like they’re the only two people in the room, the world a distant thought. She can feel the shift in the air around them. 

“You’re my reason for living, Keelin. It’s you and the daughter you’ve given me that keeps me anchored to this world. Without you I’d be nothing,” she declares while looking at the ring as she lifts it up. “I know that it’s something we’ve danced around for the past year but I know that I’m sure about wanting us bound together for life. The pattern on this ring symbolizes the intertwining of two souls. I am devoted to you forever and I want to marry you…if you’ll have me,” she finishes with a burning question.

Her eyes are full of hope and a tinge of fear due to all her endless insecurities. Keelin is shaking her head free of the tears pooling within her eyes. It was actually happening. The woman who couldn’t escape her heart does in fact want to be committed to her, forever. All of her dreams seem to be coming true in this point of her life. So, she allows the tears to fall as she nods her head frantically.

“Yes, of course I’ll marry you. It’s a thousand times, _yes_ ,” she asserts emotionally. They embrace with a passionate kiss right in front of the occupied little Mikaelson and pull back to rest their foreheads together. “If I would’ve known you’d be popping the question today I would’ve put on something more glamorous,” Keelin quips. She effectively gains a smile from her brand-new fiancée. 

“You look absolutely beautiful,” the older woman retorts. She lifts up her head and stares right into her lover’s soul. “Can I?” Keelin nods knowingly and allows Freya to slip the engagement ring onto the proper finger. She admires the family heirloom with all of its historical meaning and simple diamond atop it. The witch quietly watches with a relieved smile. Then suddenly with a childish burst of energy, the wolf thrusts a fist into the air before doing a little dance.

“I’m engaged, I’m engaged, I’m engaged,” she chants musically causing Mikaela to offer her attention with a parade of giggles. Freya playfully rolls her eyes at the goofy behavior of her intended wife.

The cheering excites Mikaela to the point of summoning the explosion of her meal onto her unsuspecting parents. The two women laugh through the mess, far too happy to let the unfortunate act disrupt their gleeful moment. Instead they settle at either side of their elevated daughter and claim opposite chubby cheeks with two saccharine kisses. 

“And now I’m suddenly glad that I didn’t wear something nice. Your necklace is going right back on missy,” Keelin quips while giving Mikaela a loving but reprimanding look.  
________________________________________

It’s been several hours since the overexcitement of the surprise engagement has died down.

A certain werewolf however hasn’t stopped looking at the evidence safely wrapped around her finger and continues to party in the space of her head. Every other moment she’s been staring at the woman of her affection and every time she’s almost caught red handed. But it does little to deter the giddiness controlling her every whim. 

The little family is spending the evening watching Disney movies which is endearing but also makes her anxious. While Mikaela is borderline entranced by the animated films,  
Keelin is nearly squirming in her seat due to her need to get the woman next to her all alone. Everything she feels for her is at an all-time high and she’s practically burning from the inside to show her just that. They could certainly stand to have a little celebration of their own later. Just as she’s settling deeper into her amplified thoughts she notices her target rising to her feet. The loss of contact has her whining softly before inquiring of the woman’s destination.

“Where are you going, Miss Mikaelson?”

“I’m just off to get us some dinner. It’s about that time and I didn’t exactly think that far ahead when I decided on breakfast,” she supplies sheepishly.

The cute little expression and shiny green eyes are a heavenly gift to the werewolf. How she was able to fall more in love with her each day would always be the sweetest mystery. The internal commotion of her thoughts and emotions are beginning to make her restless enough to rival the Mikaelson. So, an idea slips its way into her brain and she’s up to meet the woman face to face.

“Oh, I can go. You _did_ slave over a glorious meal for the gods and managed to make me one happy camper after all. All in one morning might I add,” the wolf proclaims with a smirk. 

Freya shakes her head humbly with her suddenly shy mannerisms. _There it is again. She looks so beautiful it hurts._ Keelin offers a small chuckle before allowing herself to be more proactive. “I’ll be quick. Harland’s, I suspect? You can count on me to get everyone’s favorites.”

“Sounds perfect,” Freya confirms before placing a gentle kiss on the werewolf’s lips. “Don’t go straying too far.” Keelin pulls away with a playful pout and another quip.

“I think that’s the wrong analogy. I’m more likely to chase a bone and according to Mikaela’s movies you could turn into a cat with all those mysterious powers of yours.”

“Okay, no innuendos in front of Mikaela. Go,” the witch firmly orders with a playful slap on her fiancée’s thigh. The werewolf raises her arms in surrender.

“Okay, watch it I’m going.”  
________________________________________

Keelin has been enraptured by thoughts of her impending marriage to a certain badass witch. In fact, she made sure to call in their orders before stepping foot out of the home just so that she had more time to process her many emotions. An overwhelming happiness is threatening to completely submerge her in ignorance of the world around her. 

Just as she’s pulling into the almost crowded parking lot of Harland’s Bar & Grill, her instincts spike before she halts the vehicle a mere foot away from a pedestrian. Her nerves take over and before she knows it she’s hopping out of her car to apologize to the woman. 

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I’m such an idiot I should’ve been paying attention! Are you okay?”

The older woman waves off the frantic werewolf with a calm presence. The haze of Keelin’s concern wears off and she realizes that she’s staring into the face that has quietly haunted her since she was seventeen years old. It is the face that she has buried down so deep in order to forget but has never quite left her conscience. Just the sight of it induces a panic attack. Her breathing is suddenly labored and her heart feels about ready to jump right out of her chest. Even her vision is starting to obscure as the woman tries to ease her anxiety. She feels a hand on her back before she is met with the worried expression of Bridget.

The witch settles herself in front of Keelin before quickly apologizing to the stranger. The situation is promptly defused as the older woman goes about her business, leaving the pair alone. Keelin doesn’t even hear the words they’ve exchanged but she is already thankful for the divine intervention. The taller woman was definitely becoming her own personal guardian angel in recent times. Keelin heaves a strangled breath as Bridget grabs her hands while giving her uncompromised attention.

“Keelin, I need you to just breathe okay? Everything is alright,” the witch soothes. The werewolf shakes her head furiously while practically choking on air. “Watch me okay? Like this,” she directs softly. Not a second later she’s taking in a deep breath and slowly releasing it. Keelin watches the display. “Just like this okay,” the caregiver says again.

Bridget observes as the shaken woman follows the direction, eventually filling her lungs with the proper amount of air. When she’s settled enough the witch nods at her in encouragement.

“That’s good. You’re fine,” she affirms before glancing around their environment. Seeing as they’re still standing in the middle of the parking lot, Bridget carefully leads Keelin into the restaurant to sit down. They sit silently within the hustle of the establishment as the former regards her.

“What happened out there?” The tone is laced with concern and a gentleness that’s almost foreign to the werewolf. She’s starting to dread the full display of her vulnerability and decides to collect herself before she shatters in front of the witch.

“Oh, that? It was probably just hunger induced road hysterics. I should’ve watched what I was doing,” she feebly jokes.

The statement gains an unconvinced head tilt from the hopeful friend and the wolf, herself sighs at her failed attempt at masking her emotions. “I…had a bit of a flashback Saturday when I almost hit that woman.” The witch across from her seems to zone in on her then before offering assurance. 

“You’re completely safe to be open about what’s bothering you. But _only_ if you want to, okay? Just never feel like you have to make light of things that obviously aren’t all that great,” Bridget asserts.

The pure genuine nature of the woman begins to knock down the walls that Keelin is desperately trying to build around herself. She was never much of a good liar though she could manage to keep the darker parts of herself tucked away. The weight of secrets was always too heavy for her to bear and the cautious eyes settling on her now are providing her with the space to finally reveal her darkest one.

“I went into overdrive after almost hitting her. It was all my fault, I wasn’t focusing like I should’ve been…but when I finally looked at her she…she looked like my first kill. I mean that’s crazy, right?” Keelin looks down as Bridget processes the information, realization dawning on her. The former goes radio silent. “I’m so sorry, Keelin.” The affected woman suddenly looks up in slight disbelief.

“Hey, you don’t need to pity a werewolf with identity issues. I’m not your problem and I’m sure you have your own to deal with,” the wolf states with a sad smile. 

Bridget places a hand on top of hers and it instantly brings her tranquility. “I don’t pity some werewolf with issues. I care about the wellbeing of a great person,” she counters with a small smile. “Does Freya know about it?” Keelin shakes her head softly. “No. Not exactly a topic of discussion for dinner time.”

“Well, maybe you should talk to her about it,” the witch suggests.

“No. I can’t,” the werewolf fires back. “Keelin,” the sincere voice pleads. 

“There are…just always these periods of highs and lows between us. You can’t blame me for wanting the highs for a little longer,” Keelin explains.

The other woman sighs before accepting defeat. “Okay but you should talk about it at some point. It’ll only fester and I promise you that.” The werewolf nods in short. “Well you should get back to your family. They’re probably worried about you. Are you okay to drive?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Bridget smiles softly before Keelin gets up to go grab the bag of food. “If you ever need to talk…” From her spot above the table, Keelin gazes over at the woman. “I’m here, Keelin. I mean it.”

In that moment, she realizes just how naturally caring the woman is. Everything about her seems so calming and untainted. She wonders if that’s how she appears to most people she encounters in her life. Of course, Freya had seemed to consider her an all-encompassing beacon of light and she was never terrible at making quick friends. If only they all truly knew about the deep dark pits that resided within her though.

They share a look between them for a little longer.  
________________________________________

Keelin hastily enters the kitchen with the bag full of their respective orders and Freya turns to look at her with Mikaela in her arms. 

“Sorry I took so long. I got held up,” she apologizes as she places the bag on the table. Freya lowers Mikaela into her highchair before walking over to the woman and pulling her into her arms. “It’s okay. She refused to leave the couch until ‘Tangled’ was over.” Their daughter’s antics causes both of them to smile. “Well better that than destroying the furniture with magic bombs,” the wolf jokes. Freya smiles mischievously.

“Mama, boom,” Mikaela exclaims.

The alerted mother turns around and grins at her which doesn’t go unnoticed by Keelin. “Uh, uh. You’re not encouraging her to cast explosive spells, Freya! Seriously?” The witch only whispers to the excited child. “That’s my girl.” She turns back around to face her exasperated fiancée. 

“I’m not encouraging magic bombs, I’m allowing her to explore her abilities. How else will she learn to control them?”

“Aha, nice try but these things add up. You’re literally throwing them to the wind,” Keelin states with a frown. 

“We can always just replace them,” the witch suggests with a shrug. Keelin looks at her incredulously. “I’m not continuously replacing my valued items just because you want to raise an uber witch. You’re taking the Freya Jr. thing to new heights,” she argues. “Well she is my favorite little girl and whatever makes her happy, makes me happy,” the blonde throws back.

Keelin looks from her fiancée’s pouty face to her daughter’s matching one and rolls her eyes. “You guys are just lucky that you’re both really cute.” Freya kisses her playfully. “Like mother, like daughter,” she remarks.

“Mommy! Kisses,” the toddler excitedly demands.

The werewolf turns to her daughter who’s now reaching both arms out to her. “Fine, I’ll share,” Freya jokingly retorts before Keelin moves over in front of the baby. Keelin puckers her lips and Mikaela mimics her mannerism before giving her wet kisses.


	8. HAUNTED

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin is haunted by her first kill and makes a dire decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the angst commences with a Keelin centric episode! This chapter and the next two leads us right into Keelin's discovery of Freya's secrets which you can guess won't go so well after all of this. With the new knowledge of course Keelin sets aside her personal qualms to protect Mikaela during the second half of this story. As always words in BOLD and ITALICS are flashbacks. Dream sequences/thoughts are in ITALICS.
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) of Verona - Keep the Faith: FLASHBACK/DREAM of Keelin driving angry and hitting a pedestrian.
> 
> 2) Haux - Homegrown: Keelin decides to cure herself of her werewolf gene while at the hospital lab.
> 
> 3) RHODES - You & I: Keelin reveals the story of her first kill to Freya who comforts her.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

**_Music blares from the speakers and wind blows through her thick curls._ **

**_Keelin is burning with a fire she has never known in her entire life. Sure, she has been frustrated at times, mostly with her impending curse. But she has never felt so consumed with anger to the point that she couldn’t see straight. Quite frankly she’s very pissed._ **

**_The cell phone in the passenger seat begins ringing._ **

**_Looking over briefly she sees the name of the last person she wants to talk to as of now. Still, she grabs the device and presses it to her ear anyway._ **

**_“I’m not coming back,” she states immediately._ **

**_“Stop being this way. You left before we could talk things out and now you’re suddenly flying off the handle. I’ve never seen you like this,” the girl on the other end responds frantically._ **

**_“There’s nothing to talk about. You’re too ashamed of me to even tell your friends we’re together. We might as well end this before you screw me up more,” Keelin throws back. There’s shuffling around on the other end. “I love you. You know that I love you, just come back so we can fix this. I just need more time. They’re not like you. You know that they care about what other people think and knowing that I’m with you will make them guilty by association,” the girl pleads. The werewolf shakes her head with fury in her eyes._ **

**_“Then I’ll make it easy for you. We’re done.”_ **

**_“Keelin,” the girl tearfully exclaims._ **

**_Keelin aggressively throws her phone back into the seat as her foot presses hard on the gas pedal. The car is moving so fast that the streetlights are becoming blurred lines above her. Clouded by her raging emotions, she is unable to catch the figure crossing the road until the last minute. The sheer force of the vehicle colliding into the body instantly brings her out of the fog and she swerves into a complete stop._ **

**_Her heart pounds against her ribcage as she grips the steering wheel tightly. Wide eyes look straight ahead in shock before her instincts kick in._ **

**_“No, no, no, no, no, no,” she trails off while exiting her car._ **

**_She walks around the front of the vehicle to find a woman barely moving and in critical condition. The metallic smell of the blood reaches her nose from the distance she’s standing at. Without another thought, she gets down on her knees and at the side of the dying woman. She slips off her jacket and lifts the nearly lifeless head onto the article of clothing. After doing so she notices the blood on her hands and trembles at the sight._ **

**_“I need to focus,” she huffs out into the air._ **

**_In the quiet of the night she remembers the words of her father uttered to her since she was a child. If her or her siblings were to ever find themselves caught in trouble then they always had to come to him first. Of course, in her early life she paid it no mind but as the Murphy children grew older they came to know just what it meant. Her father had ties to very powerful entities within their community due to his line of work. It’s dawning on her that she is finally inclined to use that get out of jail free card, quite literally actually._ **

**_It isn’t really her will to have to go through her father first but she knows that he would kill her for going against his wishes. After all she is the most reliable one of her siblings. So, she stands up and goes back to retrieve her phone before calling the man._ **

**_“Dad…I did something bad.”_**  
________________________________________

Freya lies awake staring at the wall when she hears a distressed whimper. She quietly turns over on her right side to see tears streaming from Keelin’s closed eyes. Before she knows it, she’s sitting up and lightly shaking the woman to rouse her. The sleeping werewolf snatches away slightly.

“Keelin…Keelin wake up!”

Brown eyes spring open as she scrambles up into a sitting position. She looks around in confusion before her eyes land onto the blonde right next to her. Her head lowers slightly between them. “It wasn’t real,” the wolf whispers to herself. Freya wastes no time to wrap her partner in her arms. Worry seeps into her mind when she feels the woman place a loose arm around her back instead of the usual strong hug.

“What wasn’t real? Are your nightmares back again,” the witch inquires softly.

Keelin slightly twitches at the question. For some time after the birth of Mikaela she had experienced bouts of night terrors and even depression. As if the constant reminders of her nature weren’t enough she felt guiltier about not being able to look her own daughter in the eyes. For weeks Freya had taken on the roles of both parents because the werewolf couldn’t even bring herself to simply hold the child. As much as she wanted to be okay with passing on her gene, she couldn’t accept that. That period of time had weighed heavily on her fragile state, but with the love of her family she had gotten through it.

She was past that point, wasn’t she?

“I’m okay,” she finally breathes out. “I just had a bad dream. People still get those from time to time, don’t they?”

The blonde pulls back to gaze at her sadly and Keelin tilts her head, silently pleading to be left off the hook. “Keelin,” the witch sighs. “If you feel like you’re free falling again then you don’t have to feel ashamed to tell me that. I love you no matter what and I’m not going anywhere. We can talk through it,” she finishes with a nod.

The werewolf tears her eyes away from the source of most of her vulnerability. “There’s nothing to talk through. I’m not ripping at the seams okay? It was one nightmare, I’ll be fine,” she asserts. “But Keelin, you…” Freya is promptly cut off from finishing her statement by a warning tone. “No, I don’t need to talk about it. End of discussion.” She pulls away and slips out of bed leaving a slightly confused Freya peering up at her from her spot.

“I’m thirsty. I’m going to get something to drink,” she announces before stepping out of their bedroom.  
________________________________________

**_Keelin paces around with her hands on her head until she’s alarmed by a slight moan. Without her heightened senses, she wouldn’t have been able to hear the soft blow of air. She lowers herself onto her knees and cautiously grabs the woman’s hand. Her breathing is barely audible at this point and it’s becoming hard to maintain her calm approach._ **

**_“Come on dad,” she whispers to the wind._ **

**_The woman releases a gurgling sound and blood pours from her mouth. Horror swipes across the werewolf’s face as she realizes that her body is shutting down. Her biggest fear was coming true. She was officially a murderer. Not willing to give in to defeat, she lifts the stranger’s head up into her lap._ **

**_“Come on, stay with me,” she coaxes. “You can’t die, I can’t be the monster who did this to you.”_ **

**_The cold blood is dampening her shirt and jeans. A rush of wind causes her tee shirt to stick to her abdomen and she’s suddenly alerted to a presence. She feels a strong hand grip her shoulder before looking up to see her brother standing over her. “Collins,” she breathes out unable to finish her statement. The younger sibling only nods in understanding. A tall man walks past the teenager and moves Keelin aside._ **

**_“How did this happen? Were you drinking,” the man asks while examining the victim._ **

**_“No, I wasn’t. It was my temper. I wasn’t looking where I was going,” she responds with a frantic shake of her head._ **

**_Collins plants himself by his sister’s side to silently ease her and the unreadable man speaks up again. “I can smell it on your breath. You just better hope my contacts get here in time.” Keelin’s eyes widen slightly. Of course, she had a couple of drinks with her girlfriend and a few of their friends but she made sure not to get carried away since she knew she was driving. She would never be so rash as to potentially put other lives in danger but then again she’s standing here looking at the mess she created. She hugs herself close while sinking further into her guilt-ridden thoughts._ **

**_“She’s gone,” her father suddenly declares. Her head snaps up toward the man then. In her deep thought, she didn’t fully acknowledge the lack of breathing or a heartbeat._ **

**_“No. No she’s not gone, she can’t be,” she exclaims as her body shakes._ **

**_Hayes rises to his feet and finally fixes his gaze down onto his daughter. “You have to go now, Keelin. I’ll clean this up. The situation will be fixed. You have a life to live,” he proclaims. Keelin shakes her head as tears stream down her face. “You can’t just clean her up like some mess on the kitchen floor. You can’t fix this,” she painfully states. “A mess is what you’ve made and as your father I have no other choice but to dispose of it,” he responds with finality. “Take your sister home.” Collins nods before going to grab her but she knocks him back._ **

**_“You can’t fix this,” she spits aggressively. Her eyes begin to glow with a golden hue and her hands plant onto the concrete in front of her. She breathes heavily and feels the access of her power flowing within. Hayes simply watches and Collins looks on with sympathy for his older sister. Finally, golden eyes fade to tortured brown ones as she nearly collapses onto the ground._ **

**_“Now. I said take her home before we alert an audience,” their father demands firmly. The youngest Murphy uses his strength to pull the newly triggered werewolf up to him. At only fifteen years old he’s already very much taller than his older sibling. Keelin allows him to manipulate her body at will and he slightly frowns at the nearly catatonic state of his sister._ **

**_“Looks like you’re finally one of us now.”_**  
________________________________________

The glass of cold water sits in her hand as she stares at the small bottle of liquor on the counter. It’s almost as if it’s taunting her, berating her about her weakness. Of course, she would never give in to its temptation. She was already far removed from her days of drowning in her sorrows. These days she only wanted to drink to the good things in life. Her work, career, friendships, love, family, and happiness. But whenever it gets this bad she finds herself staring at a bottle of tequila to remind herself of that low period in her life during med school. That would never be her life again and she’d make sure of it somehow.

There are too many good things in this world for her now. When her mantra comes to an end, she places her glass on the countertop and grabs the alcohol bottle. Reaching up on her toes, she pushes it back into its hiding place in the cupboard. It wasn’t really hidden since her wife to be knew where it was. The meaning of it has just never been revealed in any conversation.

Keelin eases back down onto her feet and leans against the sink with her head down. _I’ll get through this_.

She stays like that for several moments as Freya quietly stands in the shadows of the kitchen entrance. If her soulmate was threatening to tumble back down into the well of her despair, she would get to the bottom of it first.  
________________________________________

Freya pours a cup of hot coffee from the steaming pot before turning around to catch her significant other walking into the kitchen.

“Just in time. Although you don’t have to be up just yet. I thought I was taking Mikaela to daycare today,” she states. The sleepy werewolf approaches her with a kiss on the cheek before taking the mug into her own hands. “Thank you sweet angel of mercy. But I think I can handle daycare duty.”

“Sure, if you can see straight,” the blonde retorts.

Keelin saunters over to the toddler finishing up her breakfast. “Good morning baby girl,” she coos. Mikaela reaches up to her with enthusiastic fingers. “Mommy, mommy, mommy,” she chants before receiving a kiss from the woman. “Ready to go, Roo Roo?” The child nods her head excitedly. “Weady to go,” she drags.

“Good girl.” The mother lifts up her daughter and accepts the small backpack being handed to her by the taller woman who kisses the baby.

“I’ll see you out,” Freya offers. 

The smaller woman nods and leads the way toward the front of the house. The blonde stops at the front door with her arms folded as her two favorite girls make their way over to the sedan sitting in the driveway. Keelin seems to freeze before opening the car door and Freya tilts her head at the action. When the woman makes no other move, she goes to check on her.

“Hey, is everything alright?” 

The person in question whips around out of her strange fog and looks at the blonde. “Oh, yeah. I think I’d rather walk since it’s so nice out here,” she explains. Green eyes gaze at her suspiciously. “You sure,” she questions again. The wolf nods accordingly and jumps up a little to scoot her daughter up onto her hip. “Yeah. We have some extra time, it’s not too far away, and Mikaela needs to work off some energy.” She looks slightly up to the child in her arms. “Isn’t that right?” Mikaela throws up her arms. “Wight,” she yells.

Freya laughs lightly at her daughter but forces a grin for the woman. There was obviously something going on with her but she couldn’t just outright ask about it. That plan had failed miserably last night and she feared the distance that was created by her simple inquiry. Most of all she feared pushing her into something darker. Last night she had seen the woman mindlessly staring down a bottle of alcohol and was worried about what it meant. She was no stranger to drowning in her pain and loneliness. What she also knew was that her fiancée could definitely drink her under the table on most nights. The endless scenarios are becoming unsettling.

“So, I’ll see you after? I think I could spare some time for a certain doctor.”

“Actually, I’m stopping by at the hospital to sort some things out. But…after I think I could arrange something.”

The witch nods and accepts a small smile from the woman. Keelin lowers Mikaela to the ground and says goodbye to her partner. Mikaela follows suit with an adorable wave using her free hand. “Bye,” she drags. Freya waves back with a grin as she watches the pair leave.

________________________________________

Mikaela leads her mother into her classroom by the hand and Bridget watches in amusement.

“Let me guess who will be in my care today,” she quips before playfully pointing at the werewolf. “You! Am I right?” Keelin throws her an incredulous look that has her giggling in delight. “Hey, you try keeping up with her and her demands.” The caregiver bends down to address the little girl with a bright smile.

“Hey mommy Mikaela,” she coos.

“Mommy Mikaela,” she mimics with a matching smile. Bridget rubs her head softly. 

“So, am I relieved boss,” the wolf asks. The other woman stands up straight to look at her. “Sure, thing kid,” she confirms. Keelin begins to chuckle before a certain stranger catches her eye. Standing there straight ahead outside the window is the woman that has been haunting her since the day of her engagement. She’s looking into the eyes of her first kill. Bridget seems to catch the slight stumble.

“Hey, are you okay,” she asks in sudden concern. Keelin can feel her heartbeat picking up.

“Um, yeah. I just need to get going. Errands,” she explains. “Bye Roo Roo. Be good okay?” 

The little girl nods up at her and takes Bridget’s awaiting hand. Keelin waves a final time before backing out of the door and speed walking down the hallway. With the abrupt change in the werewolf’s demeanor, Bridget is left behind with thoughts of the troubled woman.  
________________________________________

The bright lights of the hospital beam down onto Keelin as she advances down the hall with purpose. She turns the familiar corner and rams right into a larger body but stabilizes herself before falling backwards.

“Sorry,” they both say at the same time.

The man in scrubs offers a kind smile before extending a hand to her. “I’ve seen you around but I don’t think we’ve properly met. I’m Greg Allen, your friendly neighborhood emergency doctor.” Keelin regards the tall man. He has tan skin and buzzed hair with a neatly shaved beard. His eyebrows are thick, eyes dark, and there’s a distinctive scent about him. She finally offers up her hand to shake his patient one.

“Keelin Murphy, regular emergency doctor,” she responds.

“Great. The last thing I need is some newbie coming to take my shine away,” he quips with a playful grin.

“You have nothing to worry about, for now.” Keelin gazes around him and he takes the hint considerately. “Well, I should be going now. Nice to meet you Murphy,” Greg says before parting ways. She steps aside to allow him a path and watches as he leaves before going straight to her destination.

The lab is vacant when she enters and her original reason for visiting the hospital is completely forgotten. Wandering around the cold, sterile room is causing old memories to flash through her mind. It was in a room similar to this that she had first unlocked the key to altering her genetic makeup. She can still remember how it felt when she cracked the code. There was finally a way to treat her incurable disease. Worrying about the hurt of rejection was finally a thing of the past. There was a chance to feel normal. She could be loved instead of feared whether it was by herself or others.  
________________________________________

**_“You don’t have to do that. Abbie! Will you just look at me?”_ **

**_The Asian woman stuffs her things into her duffle bag while Keelin hovers over her in fear. Things were going so well between them. The woman before her is practically staying at her place any time she’s free from work and the chemistry they have is explosive. This is finally her shot at a real relationship and it’s already going down the drain. She’s even sure that she’s falling in love with the intelligent and beautiful orthopedic surgeon._ **

**_“I don’t have time for this,” the surgeon responds while shaking her head. “I can’t stay here with you anymore.”_ **

**_“I know that you’re freaking out but I can explain everything. I just need you to stop and trust me,” Keelin urges._ **

**_Abbie suddenly moves from the bed to the dresser and collects her jewelry before coming back to tuck the objects into her bag. “There’s nothing to explain, Keelin. I’m sure that I don’t really know who you are, what you are or where you came from. It could be from outer space for all I know. This is just what I get for buying into the whole mysterious act,” she remarks anxiously._ **

**_“You know who I am. I’ve never once lied to you.”_ **

**_“Yeah, you just forgot to mention that you’re either some magical, miraculous test subject for modern medicine or a freak of nature altogether,” Abbie retorts._ **

**_The statement stabs her in the chest but she knows it’s her fault for not being more careful. It was all her fault for trying to show off in front of her arm candy. She got far too comfortable and way too cocky. Now everything she was trying to build is crumbling right in front of her. Abbie swiftly moves into the bathroom to collect her things and when she whips around to leave her soon to be ex-girlfriend is blocking the entryway._ **

**_“Keelin,” she warns. “Move out of the way.”_ **

**_The werewolf shakes her head. “Not until we talk about this,” she affirms. “You can’t just keep me here against my will!” The surgeon readies herself in a stance that makes the werewolf’s face fall._ **

**_“And I won’t. I would never hurt you or make you do anything that you don’t want to do. I just care about you and I want things to stay how they are between us,” Keelin expresses with pleading eyes._ **

**_For just a moment Abbie’s features soften. She was still looking at the same woman she had developed strong feelings for. But at the same time so much was changing for her now. She couldn’t begin to understand her condition and honestly she didn’t want to. It was against everything she knew to be true and even though the woman in front of her is the gentlest person she’s ever met, she can’t help but be frightened by what she’d find if she digs deeper._ **

**_“I believe you, I really do but things can’t stay the same. I think…I might be afraid of you as messed up as that sounds. You defy everything that I know and it scares me. We started this relationship on being honest with each other and that’s what I’m doing now. I can’t be with you like this. I’m sorry,” she declares._ **

**_Keelin quietly accepts this by stepping to the side and allowing the woman to pass the threshold. Abbie stuffs the rest of her belongings into the bag before zipping it up. She hauls it up on her shoulder as she begins to walk toward the front door. With a sigh, she briefly pauses by the sulking woman._ **

**_“I really did want this to work for what it’s worth. I was falling in love,” she admits sadly._ **

**_“Then what changed,” Keelin asks in an almost tortured tone of voice. She knows all too well what changed. But she just wants to buy herself time before going back to being all alone in a world that hates her. Abbie allows her tears to cascade down her cheeks while sucking in a shaky breath. The small smile on her face is so pained it’s almost horrifying._ **

**_“Everything.”_**  
________________________________________

Although she was now happy with a family who loves her, being ran out on by the wonderful Abbie Chen would always be her most painful “almost”. It had truly taught her just how far she would go to rid herself of the animal inside. As far as she’s concerned it had been nothing but a malicious burden she was forced to bear. How long would it be before her current love figured that out? And on top of that she now has the offspring that she thought she would never produce with her own genes. She refuses to be a monster of a mother to her. It would kill her if the little girl would one day see her as something other than her loving mommy. She’s too young to even realize what they are and the truth would be all too hard to swallow. 

However, she had an incredible and limitless tool as long as she worked hard at her goals. She had the miracle of medicine. And with it she’d rid herself of her curse once and for all. She’s determined to find the true cure.

As she comes to her conclusion on the matter, her living nightmare is standing just outside of the room. Unbeknownst to her, the mirage of her first kill watches the scene unfold before shape shifting into a strange looking man. He is tall, lanky with an ash coating his skin and spiked, unkempt hair.  
________________________________________

Keelin slides into her home before closing the door behind her. The place is eerily quiet and tranquil but she can’t help but feel the foretelling energy of something unsettling. She strides into the space to make it to her bedroom. She bends down to search through a drawer and pulls out the dark brown journal she was looking for. Before she stands back up she hears a presence and whips around ready to fight until she is met with quizzical green eyes. A heavy breath escapes her.

“Freya,” she lets out exasperatedly. “You couldn’t just say hello like a normal person? I thought I was alone.” The taller woman tilts her head in question.

“Of course, you thought you were alone. But you aren’t so it’s time to tell me what’s really happening here,” she states straight to the point.

Her partner raises an eyebrow at her in confusion. “What are you talking about?” Freya takes a step forward. “Keelin, I know that something’s wrong. You’ve been acting strange since last night. And now I find you digging around in here for what,” she questions.

The confusion suddenly escalates to the feeling of being cornered. The animalistic side of her is starting to flare up at the connotations. _Who is she to question me when she’s the queen of mystique_? 

“I told you that I’m fine. If you could back off a little that’d be great.”

“I won’t just stand by and watch as you destroy yourself from the inside. You’re my responsibility.”

“I’m not your sibling Freya. You can’t use the whole big sister tactic on me. There’s no ‘I’m older and know more’ in this situation. I can take care of myself without you breathing down my neck.”

Keelin walks around the woman and makes her way to the kitchen but finds that she won’t be escaping the witch any time soon. She halts her movement and closes her eyes before turning to face her newfound shadow. Freya stands tall while staring right at her.

“We’re making a commitment to each other. Your problems are mine. Don’t you see that?”

“So, you’re telling me that every time you have a problem you’ll come running to me first thing,” the werewolf asks incredulously. Freya looks down for a moment knowing that her problems always seem to be of the earth shattering variety. She could never fully promise to allow her intended wife to be involved in that. Keelin scoffs bitterly at the sudden silence. “Exactly what I thought.” 

The witch gazes back up to her. “I just want to make things better for you. I don’t want you to slip into darkness because you deserve so much more than that, Keelin.” The softness of her tone is starting to make the wolf feel guilty about the edge she’s on. She sighs.

“I’m just feeling a little bit smothered right now. You’re cornering me and that makes me crazy,” she admits. Freya comes closer so that she’s right in front of the troubled woman.

“I’m on your side, I promise. I _need_ to know what’s going on so that I can fix it,” the blonde asserts with passionate eyes.

“Mrs. Fix It at it again,” Keelin quips before turning away and claiming more space. Freya tugs the woman back toward her as she tries to leave. “Keelin. What has you so obviously torn up inside?” As she attempts to will her emotions away, the secret of her torment erupts to the surface before she can pull back. “Maria Velasquez,” she retorts fiercely. Freya looks into her eyes intently.

“Forty-two. Mom of three. Hardworking nurse. Beloved human being,” she throws out soon after as she closes the distance between them. “I killed her alright? I _stole_ that woman’s life and I’ve been paying for it ever since. Is that what you wanted to hear cause that’s all I have to give you?”

Freya is rendered speechless at the confession and stands there unable to move.

“What I did to her was the catalyst for everything that went wrong in my life. All because of petty girlfriend drama and a hot temper. The world’s most dangerous cocktail for a werewolf. It was all because I was too out of control to just stop and look where I was going.” 

“Keelin…” Before the witch can even speak a hand is raised to her in protest.

“I left her there in _cold_ blood Freya. I really tried to convince myself that it was her fault for being there, alone in the dark at virtually vampire hours. And later…later I found out that the reason she was out there was because she was working extra shifts to buy her kid a new car. A new _car_ , the irony.”

The anger and sadness swallows her whole as Freya, undeterred by the outburst of pain wordlessly envelopes her in a tight hug. Keelin sobs into her shoulder and balls up a fist of the blonde’s shirt.

“Who’s the true monster now?”

The witch is suddenly feeling the push of sadness enter her though the weight of it pales in comparison to the weight that her partner is currently feeling. She shakes her head in disbelief of the woman’s words. “No. You could _never_ be a monster. _Keelin_.” She pulls back slowly to look the werewolf in the eyes. “ _You_ are a beautiful person inside and out. You’re kind and selfless, patient. You’re the best mother to our daughter and you’re the best thing that ever happened to _me_.”

Keelin fixes her gaze down to the floor as she silently weeps but Freya softly lifts her chin.

“You saved me. _You_ did. My soul is all yours. Without you it would be lost to darkness,” she says with conviction. There werewolf stares at her in awe. She would never grow tired of the moments where the woman would express herself so passionately. The honesty of it all shakes her. It’s in her eyes. The blonde nods as if to confirm her truth.

“So, no you will never be the true monster here. Between us both it’s safe to say that I will forever have the longest road of redemption ahead of me. But _you_. No, you help people. You _heal_ them. You save lives with or without your medicine that I’ve yet to fully understand.”

Keelin chuckles sadly at the small joke before wiping at her tears and Freya smiles cautiously at her. Looking into the green eyes above her she feels herself still. There are no words for what the woman means to her and her only. So, she nods in hopes that they will get through this and come out stronger together like they have before. She lays her head on Freya’s shoulder and allows herself to be held as the witch leans her head on top of it.


	9. WHO ARE YOU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin and Bridget get to know each other deeper over drinks; Freya feels threatened by Keelin's connection to Bridget before receiving an ultimatum from Maxwell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold...the Great and Powerful Jealous Freya. But first we get some more Keelin flashbacks along with Breelin fun times. All the flashbacks take place in one day. Maxwell also makes a brief but notable appearance. If you wanna see Keelin's two suitors and immediate family as always check out the tumblr posts.
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Chaos Chaos - Breaker: FLASHBACK of Keelin's conversation with a med school fling.
> 
> 2) ARIZONA - Electric Touch (ayokay Remix): FLASHBACK of Keelin's date with the bartender.
> 
> 3) Chaos Chaos - Love: FLASHBACK of Keelin making out with the bartender.
> 
> 4) Léon - Tired of Talking: Bridget brings drinks over to Keelin.
> 
> 5) of Verona - Signs: Bridget helps drunk Keelin to her place.
> 
> 6) Konoba - On Our Knees: FLASHBACK of Keelin transforming into a wolf.
> 
> 7) Calum Scott - Dancing On My Own: Bridget tucks Keelin into bed.
> 
> 8) Ariana and the Rose x RKCB - Love You Lately: Bridget and Keelin talk while Freya gets jealous.
> 
> 9) Tedy - Flames: Freya sets a trail of fire with her emotions and is covered by Maxwell.
> 
> 10) RHODES - Close Your Eyes: Freya returns home and apologizes but fails at telling Keelin her secrets.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

**_Keelin slips into her jeans as her would be suitor watches intently from his spot on the bed. He’s sitting up on his elbows, half under the wrinkled sheets as a disappointed sigh escapes his lips._ **

**_“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to completely freak you out with the personal questions. I got carried away,” he apologizes. The werewolf mindlessly pulls her shirt over her head before flipping her curls back into place. Forming a response is obviously not on her mind so he continues. “You’re obviously not on good terms with your family…” Keelin bends down to put on her boots._ **

**_“I drifted away from them when I first started med school. It’s not a big deal. Need I remind you that this is casual and nothing more?”_ **

**_She says it as a matter of fact and the suitor laughs lightly before fully sitting up in bed._ **

**_“I know that. You won’t exactly let me forget. But I really like you and I can’t help thinking about everything I’m missing out on by not knowing you,” he admits sincerely. Keelin laughs incredulously before finally turning to face the young man._ **

**_“I’m saving you the trouble of truly knowing me. You’ll thank me one day for not completely screwing you over blind,” she retorts. He tries to speak again but she promptly cuts him off. “I have to run. I’ve got a hot date with a blonde bartender.”_ **

**_Keelin smiles brightly and proceeds to leave the room and the apartment altogether. As she’s walking home her phone lights up alerting her of a call from her sister, Kennedy. She ponders on whether or not she should answer but ultimately she does so with a sigh._ **

**_“Look, I’m really busy.”_ **

**_“Well, excuse me for wanting to check in on my baby sister seeing as she never comes around anymore. Daniel barely even knows his aunt Keelin at this point.” The med student rolls her eyes and feels a tinge of guilt about the last part but continues her trek with the phone pressed to her right ear. “I have been tied up with getting my degree you know. It’s important to me.”_ **

**_“I just wish that other things were important to you too. Everyone misses your bulging brain especially Collins,” Kennedy states on the other line. The younger sister scoffs in utter disbelief._ **

**_“Oh, yeah? I’m not convinced seeing as he pushed me away in favor of becoming some hairy, all brawn douche bag. As far as he’s concerned I’m not worthy of being treated like his big sister,” Keelin retorts earning a sigh from her sister._ **

**_“Keelin, you’re breaking grandma Patty’s heart and pushing us all away. We all love you and what you’re doing is against everything you know. It’s not our way, we stick together. She just wishes you could see that. You know you’ve always been her favorite.”_ **

**_Keelin can feel the emotions tugging at her. It’s the frustration caused by her family’s stupid, hypocritical pack rules and the guilt she feels with the simple mention of her beloved grandmother. But as always she handles it in the only way she knows how to._ **

**_“Is that all? I’m really sorry but I have to go. I have a life now. It’s far away from all the complicated mess and drama. I like it that way, okay?”_ **

**_Kennedy sighs deeply and gives up on trying to get her stubborn sibling to see the bigger picture. Sometimes she could be more than self-righteous._ **

**_“Fine but you should know that family is forever. You should remember that you have one.”_ **

**_The phone call ends._**  
________________________________________

The first dose is successfully finished and Keelin extends her arm to finally inject the serum into her bloodstream.

She cringes a bit at the burning sensation and takes a shot of vodka to numb the pain before laying her head on her good arm. Her phone alerts her with a notification and she sits up to check it. It’s a Saturday night and she told Freya that she wouldn’t be home until late. It made no sense for her to be texting her right now seeing as she had made it a habit of watching movies with Mikaela until they both drifted off into their sleep on the couch. 

To her surprise it’s none other than Bridget Samuels. Sure, they were getting to know each other but the woman had never sent her a message at these hours.

_BRIDGET_

_Hey, this might be kinda weird and super last minute but do you want to get drinks with me?_

Once again the woman was spreading her wings as a faithful guardian angel. Keelin is desperately in need of a break and if she’s being honest she feels comforted by the other woman’s warm presence. So, she gladly types out a reply about how much she’s dying for the offer to be true.  
________________________________________

Bridget throws back a shot as Keelin watches her in all her glory with a bright smile. The woman is certainly challenging her record for the greatest amount of drinks downed in one night. They’re sitting at a table that is occupied with a bunch of shots, french fries, cheese sticks, and their individual glasses of whiskey.

“Okay. So, I slept with my peppy panda until I was like seventeen. There, I said it.” Keelin laughs at the witch with a shake of her head.

“That’s it? I stayed tucked away safely with my little brother until I was like seventeen. I definitely have you beat there,” the werewolf retorts.

The younger woman laughs in turn but Keelin slowly realizes what she said. When she was at the angsty age of seventeen she had killed someone for the first time. With all the blood on her hands she fell into a deep depression and didn’t allow _anyone_ into her room for the rest of the year let alone into her own head. Bridget seems to catch the sudden change in pace because she places a hand on top of Keelin’s resting one.

“Hey, is everything okay?

“Yeah. Of course.”

The witch tilts her head with a knowing look and the werewolf sighs at the perceptive nature of her friend.

“I was…just thinking about the unspeakable thing. It happened right before I stopped sleeping soundly thanks to my build-a-brother so yeah,” she explains. She is met with an apologetic look and shakes her head. 

“I’m so sorry.”

“No, no. Please don’t. I can’t take your puppy eyes.” Keelin moans and puts her head on the table dramatically before lifting it back up. “I can’t help my empathy, Keelin. I feel everything intensely and I tend to want to ease certain emotions that people have. Sorry.”

“Is this where all the tortured werewolf lovers come from,” the wolf asks comically. Bridget rolls her eyes with a small smile. “I’m never gonna live that down am I?” The older woman shakes her head as Bridget takes another sip from her glass. “Nope. So, any other mystical types I should know about?” Her friend looks away in disbelief.

“Oh my god, I fall in love with the _person_. End of the story. New subject please.” Keelin smiles as she takes a sip of her own drink and her friend sits her head in her hand while observing her. “Like…maybe more about your family?” Right after she poses the question she notices the werewolf tense up and decides to backtrack. “You know what I’m stupid. I sensed something there and I don’t know. I don’t want to push you. We can go back to talking about how I was tortured by my sister until adulthood,” the witch offers but this time Keelin places a hand on hers to stop her.

“It’s okay. I’m the one being weird and overly secretive about things while you’re so willing to give so much of yourself. It’s not fair,” she states.

“No it’s fine, I mean it. You don’t have to share anything you don’t want to. I’m just pretty much an open book but I never expect that of anyone else.”

Keelin peers down while biting her lip in thought. “My sister could be torturous too. It wasn’t always that way though. We were fine at first. She was six years older and in charge of our dealings. We knew our places in the hierarchy. But once we got older she was all about pleasing our father and shoving me out the way. I think she tried to make up for it when I went away to college but by then it was already too late.”

“Sounds…intense. I’m sorry.”

“It doesn’t bother me as much anymore.”

“And your beloved brother? I always wished I had one. What was that like?” Keelin can’t help but to smile at the thought of him. “Collins was my first ever friend. Sure, I had a big cousin looking after me and I loved her but I never loved anyone quite like him. He was my best friend in the entire world and we did everything together. I was only two years older but I was very protective of him. I always wanted him to be happy,” she admits. Her smile slowly fades away and the woman across from her is pulled into her words.

“When I couldn’t make that happen anymore everything changed. He always wanted to be just like our father and he wanted his approval. My father was a great man who took care of his family but it was sometimes at the cost of other families. I didn’t understand that. How you could love your own family so fiercely yet never think for a second about the damage you could do to another. It was so selfish. Collins felt like he had no other choice but to understand that way of thinking. He was a son and fathers place their pride in their sons,” she states.

Both women look down into their glasses.

“The sweet, eager to please young boy that I knew suddenly became a very angry young man. He still wanted to take care of me but he was just so cold sometimes. It was unlike the person I knew him to be. As his aggression grew he was bound to activate his curse sooner rather than later and he did. I could never push my beliefs on anyone else knowing how it felt to have other beliefs pushed onto me. So…I accepted it,” she finishes sadly. 

Bridget processes the information before offering a look of sympathy. “I’m sorry I made you relive that. I can tell it’s painful for you,” she apologizes. Keelin shakes her head. “You sure you’re not in the wrong profession? You’d make a good shrink. Twenty bucks says so,” she remarks. The witch laughs as the tension begins to dissipate from the air.

“No thanks. I couldn’t be paid enough to listen to _any_ and _every_ problem that comes to the minds of folks. I’m just…drawn to certain energies I guess. And anyway, I’m sorry you had such a rough time. I really am.”

“It wasn’t all bad. I came from a very strong bloodline. The women of the family especially left unforgettable impressions.” Bridget’s eyes brighten.

“Ooh strong women. Now I’m _very_ interested,” she says enthusiastically. Keelin giggles at the reaction. “Yeah. My grandmother was the strongest person I knew and…my aunt was just like her only a bit more rebellious,” she states with emphasis. “Tell me about them,” the witch asks with a sweet look of anticipation.

Keelin can’t help but grin at the way Bridget is lighting up at the information. It’s strange to suddenly feel known by someone other than Freya but her new friend somehow makes it easy for her. It feels like it’s fully her choice to do so. She had fallen so hard for Freya that she was almost completely at the mercy of her. Being seen wasn’t really a thought that she was aware of while she was falling in love. She had only fully realized it after knowing how she felt for sure. As far as friends go she had never had a friend that actually knew her status as a werewolf and still actually _wanted_ to be her friend. But here she is now so she nods her head with a smile. 

“My grandmother was warm and kind. You could see it in her eyes. Everyone said that I had a pair to match hers. My dad even chose my middle name to honor that. She was always able to make me feel better about anything.” She looks down with a sullen expression and Bridget tries to gauge the sudden unhappiness with speaking about the beloved figure.

“You don’t have to extend on that. I can tell she was an amazing person,” the woman genuinely remarks. The other woman looks up and attempts a smile before continuing on.

“And as for my aunt Josephine. Well, she was a firecracker,” she proclaims with a laugh at the thought. Bridget chuckles as well. “She was my grandma’s first and only daughter, the eldest of four. You could tell that she wanted to be her mini me but gave up somewhere along the way. Aunt Josey was kind, funny, and fierce. She took _no_ crap from anyone and could lose her temper at the drop of a hat on the wrong day. Her bad side was something that you never wanted to see,” the wolf admits.

“I’m guessing that you’ve witnessed this side of awesome aunt Josey,” Bridget inquires before sitting back into her seat with a raised eyebrow. Keelin nods in short.

“Yeah, I clearly remember her and my mother going all alpha on each other but I don’t even remember what for. I can only imagine the insignificance of the reason but I’ll never forget all the violence I saw. The most amazing thing about it all is that they were family again right afterwards. It was strange to me but then again _I_ was the strange fruit of the tree.”

“Families fight hard but they still love just as much. You try spending a full moon feast with a line of purebred witches and get back to me,” the witch quips. The werewolf chuckles causing her friend to smile at her achievement. “We’re looking pretty dry right about now. More drinks?” Keelin grins mischievously at the question.

“Only if you’re ready for me to drink you under the table good witch of the south,” she remarks.

Bridget rolls her eyes at the title but gets up to go to the bar. Keelin watches as her friend leans over the countertop to talk to the bartender and smiles. She doesn’t know how she got lucky making a friend out of the witch but she wouldn’t take it for granted. She was too much of a welcomed presence at the moment. It felt way too unreal to be normal with a normal life, family, and friends. Her eyes wander around in observation as she gazes at the patrons of the bar.  
________________________________________

**_Keelin downs three shots in quick succession while the pretty blonde bartender looks on in amusement. The werewolf playfully makes a satisfied sound as she finishes and lifts her arms up in celebration._ **

**_“How about you take a break and join me?”_ **

**_“No thanks, I’m on the clock.”_ **

**_The med student gives the bartender a pout which already has her grinning. “Aw, just live a little and treat yourself. Please,” she begs. Finally, the blonde shrugs. “Oh, what the hell. I deserve it,” she concludes. “Yes! Exactly,” the wolf exclaims while slapping the counter._ **

**_The bartender takes a quick shot and Keelin watches with a pleased look before getting an idea._ **

**_“Let’s play truth or dare. I challenge you,” she declares. The blonde rolls her eyes. “Fine but I get to ask first.” The werewolf puts up no fight at all and leans forward in her seat.  
“As you wish.”_ **

**_“Truth or dare?”_ **

**_“Truth.”_ **

**_A look of surprise plays across the bartender’s face._ **

**_“What a surprising turn of events. I was so sure you’d pick dare,” she admits._ **

**_“Well, for me truth is a dare and I’m feeling very daring at the moment,” Keelin states with a shrug. “Okay then. Why did you ask me out?” The brunette smirks slyly. “That’s easy. You’re gorgeous, fun, and interesting.” The bartender looks at her incredulously. “You just want free drinks.” Keelin shakes her head. “If that was true then I wouldn’t be running up a tab just to be around you,” she remarks._ **

**_The bartender scoffs. “As if I’d make the beautiful soon to be doctor pay a tab.” Both women smile at each other giddily._ **

**_“My turn. Truth or dare.”_ **

**_“Truth.”_ **

**_Keelin snorts at the choice. “Wow so boring.” She receives another eye roll. “Says the girl who just picked truth herself.”_ **

**_“Fair enough. Hmm…so why did you say yes when I asked you out,” the werewolf questions._ **

**_The bartender ponders the inquiry for a second. “I’ve had my eye on you for a while. Every time you came into the bar with friends or alone I just…couldn’t keep my eyes off of you,” she admits. Her truth is met with a grin of approval._ **

**_“I couldn’t keep my eyes off of you either.” Her truth is however met with a scoff from the blonde bartender. “I call bs. From the talk I hear you’re not exactly the type to just ask out anyone for the simple pleasures of conversation and making a real connection.”_ **

**_“Oh really? What is my type then?”_ **

**_The bartender shrugs. “I don’t know.”_ **

**_“No really, tell me,” Keelin insists._ **

**_The blonde shakes her head. “Forget it.” The brunette reaches out and places a gentle hand on the woman’s arm._ **

**_“Come on.”_ **

**_A sigh escapes the woman’s lips as she finally gives in. “You’re the type to lose interest and probably never call again,” she states. “Well, you don’t really know much about me,” the wolf argues. “I know enough,” the bartender throws back. Keelin pauses and observes the woman across from her. “So, why am I here with you then?”_ **

**_“I’ve never been great at knowing what’s good for me.” Hazel eyes stare intensely into brown eyes for a few seconds. “Truth or dare,” Keelin abruptly asks. “You just went already.” Her observation goes ignored by the other woman. “Truth or dare?” The bartender is silent while the waves of desire crash over them. She decides to just go with her first thought._ **

**_“Dare.”_ **

**_“I dare you to do whatever it is that you really want to do right now,” Keelin challenges. The bartender tilts her head at the woman._ **

**_Next thing they know they’re making out in the stock room with no clue as to how they managed to cross the distance. Lust overtakes them and every other thought in their world is useless right now. Their kisses grow more passionate and feverish as things get heated. Keelin aggressively pins the blonde against the wall and starts trailing kisses down her neck. Each touch becomes a little rougher. She bites the soft flesh and her wolf eyes suddenly appear causing her to hastily pull away from the woman of her desire. The blonde opens her eyes in a flash and looks at her with concern._ **

**_“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”_ **

**_Keelin shakes her head and a male employee suddenly walks into the room but quickly shields his eyes from the half-naked women._ **

**_“Oh, dude I’m sorry,” he exclaims. The werewolf swiftly grabs her things. “It’s fine. I was leaving anyway,” she claims before rushing past him. Both bartenders watch her leave in a hurry with confusion plastered on their faces._**  
________________________________________

When Bridget finally comes back with a tray of drinks Keelin is brought out of her deep thoughts. She finds the witch adorably presenting the assortment of drinks in front of her and it’s endearing in her relaxed state.

“So…I wasn’t sure what you liked since we’ve only been going for the hard stuff. I thought it was only right to give you a selection seeing as I’m the host. I’ve got something sour, something sweet, something fruity, and something…I’m not sure what that is but it looks great right?” Keelin chuckles and grins at the woman.

“Starting to feel the effects of a great night aren’t we?” Bridget shakes her head in mild embarrassment. “I will tone it down after this next drink,” the witch declares. “Oh no I’m enjoying this way too much. It looks good,” the wolf exclaims.

Bridget beams at her and hands over the mystery drink. Keelin sips it and nods her head in approval at her friend with a comical expression.

“Mmm.”

The younger woman laughs and the two friends clink glasses before tending to their drinks.  
________________________________________

Several beverages later they’re both incredibly drunk and making their way to Bridget’s home. The woman has a better handle on herself and she decided against allowing her friend to stumble into her own home so inebriated. The last thing she wants to do is disturb Mikaela and piss off a certain blonde witch by bringing the werewolf in her current state. She had certainly kept to her word about drinking her under the table and there was no amount of energy left to have to face the wrath of the great Freya Mikaelson.

Bridget has an arm wrapped protectively around her friend’s back and a hand placed gently on the arm around her neck. Keelin giggles mindlessly and stumbles to her knees on the sidewalk. “Whoa there. You okay?” The werewolf continues to laugh while on the ground and a pair of guys pass them by. Her laughter begins to slowly die down into quiet confusion. Bridget kneels down beside her with focused eyes. “Hey?”  
________________________________________

**_Keelin is running as far as she can away from civilization. The thought of how close she was to losing control in front of her date is pounding into her mind. All she wanted for was to be normal and have fun tonight. There was the company she wanted to keep right in front of her. For a minute, she had actually felt like she was spending time with someone who wanted her for her and not the idea of her. And just like that she was snapped back to reality with the fact that if the woman had ever found out what monster she truly was, it would be over before a pin could drop. She could never have a true relationship with her curse always ruining things for her._ **

**_She runs through a couple of drunk guys who are confused and keeps going until she’s surrounded by trees. Suddenly she falls to her knees when she gets to a clearing. She lifts her bowed head and her wolf eyes are glowing bright._ **

**_“No! Not tonight, not right now,” she exclaims at her curse._ **

**_Her body starts painfully transforming and she yells into the night. The full moon is glowing brightly above her unapologetically._**  
________________________________________

Bridget helps her friend into the house and sits her keys on the table as they pass by. The woman she’s practically carrying at this point is so out of it that she decides to just let her sleep in her own bed. She doesn’t want to risk something happening while her friend is alone in the guest room.

When they enter the bedroom she silently thanks the higher powers that her bed is not extremely elevated. Her grip cautiously loosens and Keelin plops down onto the mattress in a heap before sighing. Bridget sweeps her legs up on the bed and removes her shoes. After her work is done she positions her friend on her side and tucks her in while observing her even breaths. The werewolf is already fast asleep and she internally pats herself on the back for a successful mission.

Sobering up with some coffee and water sounds amazing so Bridget moves toward the doorway but not before glancing back at the woman sleeping peacefully in the covers.  
________________________________________

“So, here we are,” Keelin announces while turning to face the kind woman next to her.

They’re currently standing in the driveway with the morning glow settling onto their forms. “Thanks for taking care of me. I know that I was probably a mess and you’re definitely rethinking ever inviting me out for drinks again.”

Bridget smiles at the comment with amusement. “Are you kidding? You entertained me and then slept like a baby when I got tired. It was great,” she retorts. Keelin throws her a look of disbelief. The woman is a literal saint at this point.

“I’m pretty sure that I embarrassed myself and then took over your bed. But sure, be the perfect all-around guardian angel that you so naturally are.” Her face contorts into a playful cringe and two smiles materialize from the action. “Well, you’re right. I do have lives to guard so I gotta get going. Sure you’re okay though?” 

The witch subtly looks her friend over to make sure. Keelin grins at the gesture and the caring nature of the woman. 

“I will be. I don’t know what’s in your hangover cure but I’m thinking that it’s literally bottled miracles,” she assures causing the other woman to lightly laugh.

“Well I’m glad it’s working for you. So, I’ll see you later?”

The werewolf nods affirmatively and offers her arms out to Bridget who raises her eyebrows goofily. A delightful expression overtakes Keelin’s features before she speaks. “Anybody who has seen me fall flat on my face and still sticks around deserves the invitation of true friendship,” she explains. Bridget giggles softly and accepts the embrace.

It’s warm and exactly what both women needed. It only makes their connection that much more evident with all the good energy flowing between them. Things just seem natural and comfortable. 

However, inside of the home Freya walks up to the window just in time to catch the embrace. It stirs an ill will within her caused by her growing envy. The logical part of her knows that the feeling is irrational but she can’t help it. Any time someone other than herself got too close to Keelin it was a blow to her insecurities. It was like that before they even got together and it certainly doesn’t help with the knowledge she has about the younger more easygoing witch.

Freya watches as Keelin pulls away from the hug and laughs at something that Bridget says. She then waves to the woman as she leaves the driveway. It isn’t long before her fiancée opens the front door while smiling to herself. The jealousy within the Mikaelson grows tenfold. She finally enters and saunters over to Freya before planting a kiss on her lips.

“Good morning,” she greets gleefully.

“Where were you?”

Keelin is slightly startled by the sudden question and notices the intense green eyes on her. She pauses for a moment to adjust herself. “I…texted you. I went for drinks with Bridget after finishing things up at the hospital. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t exactly expect for you to not come home last night,” the blonde admits.

“I’m sorry. I got carried away, swept up in the fun. It’s been so long since I’ve had a girlfriend to just _exist_ with,” Keelin emphasizes. “I miss having true friends and it feels good to have one that really wants to know me.” Freya looks away at the statement. She knows what the woman meant by her words and that it’s petty to even read too much into it but she can’t help her relentless jealousy.

“I thought I was existing with you,” she retorts. Keelin zones into her lover and tilts her head softly. “Okay, that is not at all what I meant. You _know_ that. I’ve just always been a social person Freya. I don’t have powerful dark magic to comfort me at every turn.” The witch grabs her hands while looking down at them until she finally lifts her eyes up to pierce through brown ones.

“But _I’m_ here to comfort you at every turn. I’m here to be the one that knows you and loves you whenever. Why don’t we just get married now?” 

The hushed urgency has the smaller woman taken aback. “I thought we decided to take our time with setting a date. The wedding bells are ringing but a lot goes into those plans. We have time so what’s the rush? Why the sudden change of heart,” the wolf inquires.

“We’ve already been taking our time for a year now and I don’t care about having some grand extravagant ceremony to attest to the grand and extraordinary love we have. Right now I just want all of you, forever.”

The werewolf furrows her eyebrows at the declaration. “You _do_ have all of me. Freya, our daughter is literally a breathing reminder of that,” she affirms.

Freya tilts her head emotionally and Keelin gazes into her eyes finally realizing that the woman is jealous of her burgeoning companionship with Bridget. It suddenly amuses her and she can’t help but be playful as she eases her fiancée’s mind.

“You don’t have to worry about me running off into the sunset with the new witch in my life okay?” She childishly elbows the taller woman who only looks down and then tries to gain the attention of her eyes. “Hey. Freya, you _have_ me. What’s next, you’re going to be jealous of the old woman who follows me around the hospital? Hm?”

The brunette pulls the sulking woman into her by the waist as she shakes her head in protest.

“Your new friend is hardly an elderly woman who forgets her own name. She’s pretty, smart, great with everyone especially kids. She’s a powerful witch who perfected Mikaela’s talisman and she has a stable life. But most interestingly she has a _thing_ for werewolves,” the witch offers. Her partner is taken aback by the deep-rooted insecurities that she’s displaying out of nowhere.

“Okay, while Bridget might be gorgeous and a people person I _only_ see her as a good friend. I fell for _you_ and I chose to be with you through everything no matter what,” Keelin declares. The blonde moves in closer so that their faces are inches apart and she looks up at the woman intently. “Then let’s do this now. If this is all true then there’s no reason to wait anymore.” Keelin sighs deeply and slowly backs away a little with a shake of her head.

“Freya, I’m not going to be your trophy wife just so you can spite some non-existent opponent. This is crazy. I thought this was enough,” she states while gesturing between them. The witch looks away causing her to firmly grasp her hands. “You need to _breathe_ and be level headed about this. It’s a _huge_ commitment and it’s important to me. There’s no need to go all shotgun wedding right now.”

She softly pleads with her eyes but Freya refuses to give eye contact. Finally, the blonde nods her head before casting her vision down and slipping her hands out of the other woman’s. “I have some work to do. It’s important,” she says with a cool calm. Keelin tilts her head in confusion at the shift in the woman’s behavior. Green eyes briefly glance at her. “I won’t be gone long.”

With her final statement, Freya leans in to softly press a kiss to Keelin’s head. After brief hesitation she pulls away and walks right past the smaller woman. Keelin shakes her head in growing frustration as she watches her leave but goes to check on Mikaela in the nursery right away.  
________________________________________

A blazing trail of fire follows Freya on her mission to the farm shed. Her various emotions swim around so freely that she doesn’t even care to contain them. There was simply no point. When she arrives she stops just short of the entrance but feels a presence lurking behind her. Whipping around she finds the clouds of smoke and Maxwell scowling at her. 

“I can’t continue to clean up your messes.”

Before she can put a lid on her frustrations, she’s throwing the man back with her pulsating magic. He rises to his feet quickly and dusts off his coat.

“I knew you were in my home before, meddling in a life that isn’t yours,” she spits. As if to make his death wish even clearer, he takes a few steps closer to the woman. “I was keeping Mikaela away from the gaze of those who do not understand her and will never wish to. I was keeping her away from harm,” he asserts. “For future reference your child’s safety depends on more than a simple background check.”

“And what about your sick obsession with my daughter? Perhaps I should take stricter measures on that note then,” she throws back.

“Mikaela is special. I had not fully realized that before meeting her. Do you know how many people would jump at the chance to get their hands on her upon learning of her existence? And what of your enemies? Will you just keep challenging them as they come? All alone with nothing but your quick temper and volatile emotions? You can’t do this alone and you know it,” Maxwell argues.

“I still don’t want your help. I will _never_ want your help unless it means seeing this curse lifted. You can go to hell for all I care. I _will_ defeat this one way or another,” Freya asserts while nodding.

Maxwell suddenly moves toward her and holds out his hand. Freya can feel her blood shift in the man’s direction as if its attracted to him. The sensation twists her stomach into knots and she slightly hunches over. It’s his way of reminding her of her own faults and she shudders at the action. At the end of the day she truly could only place the blame on herself.

“It’s time to tell Keelin the truth Freya. You’re stronger together and it’s the only way to even begin to challenge the forces against you. You have to tell her the truth before you cause more irreparable damage.”

She looks up at him and takes in his grave expression. All the things that he is saying are true but how could she ever place this burden on the woman that means everything to her? How could she ever look into her eyes and tell her about all of the bad things she has done? Her own darkness would surely consume everything in its path including the love of her life.

The two witches stare back at each other as the smoke clears between them.  
________________________________________

Freya stalks up to her home to find her little family running around in the front yard.

A weary smile tugs at her lips and she shoves her cold hands into the pockets of her jacket. Keelin notices her and decides to meet her halfway with Mikaela in tow. The blonde grins down at her bouncing little girl before gazing up at her other half with an apologetic expression.

“Keelin, I’m sorry. I just…I just get so possessive of you when…I didn’t consider what you wanted when I put all of my feelings onto you. I was wrong,” she apologizes.

The werewolf nods in short before bringing them to sit down on the outdoor furniture nearby. Mikaela plays around in the grass below them while Keelin sighs before speaking.

“I understand that this is how you are when you feel threatened and it’s not even about your feelings either. I just want to know that when things get rough you won’t just run away like you did earlier.” The werewolf is peering over at her with a slightly hurt but heartfelt expression. The blonde fights the urge to look down at her feet.

“It’s what I’m best at. But I don’t want to do that with you, I won’t. I’m here. Always,” she asserts while scooting in closer to the woman.

Keelin nods and grabs her hand tightly. “Just don’t run away from me again. We can talk and we’ll work through whatever problems present themselves. Alright?” Freya nods quietly and takes a deep breath before casting her eyes downward. She fixes her mouth to speak and her partner watches intently for a few moments. Green eyes look up and with two rapid blinks.

“I’ll do anything to keep this family together. I will protect it no matter what.”


	10. ANIMALS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin is plagued by the deeply suppressed guilt of her nature when she encounters an emergency patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate myself and I am dead inside sorry. This is the last Keelin centric episode before the big bomb drop and it reveals the source(s) of most of her guilt. Flashbacks, hallucinations, the whole sha-bang. It gets pretty heavy and I'm gonna TRIGGER WARN this for a scene of brief alluding to a SUICIDE ATTEMPT. It isn't detailed at all though. Also a character that was introduced not too long ago starts playing a bigger part in the story and serves as a middle man who's unbiased to everyone.
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) XYLØ - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: FLASHBACK of Keelin discovering her kill being bagged by the ambulance.
> 
> 2) Kelly Sweet - In The Air Tonight: Keelin injects herself with the serum.
> 
> 3) Robot Koch - Here With Me: After Keelin experiences a hallucination of her grandmother, Freya holds her.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

**_As she’s coming up to the supply room the hallway seems to extend twice as long as it’s usual length. Keelin chalks it up to being ridiculously exhausted but then the bright lights start to dim. Instinctively she stops and observes her surroundings. Nothing looks familiar anymore. She turns around to where she came from and walks quickly but ends up back to where she stopped. Shadows overtake the corridor._ **

**_Suddenly two EMTs come racing past with a bloodied man on a stretcher. His chest and throat is completely ripped out revealing his body cavity. He’s nearly emptied of his solid and liquid contents. Keelin has to jump back against the wall just so she doesn’t get ran over by the force. Light streams in from the right of her and when she turns toward it she sees a little girl standing there. The light is so intense she can’t even make out the details of the child. She moves toward her but with every step she takes the girl dissolves away into the fading spotlight._ **

**_Reaching the end, she stands there in complete silence except for the growing strain of her breathing. Suddenly, the ravaged man pops out of the shadows and grabs her. All of his blood covers her scrubs and she collapses onto the floor._ **

“Earth to Murphy!”

Keelin jumps in her place as Greg shuffles around her on a mission. She immediately follows suit down the bright hallway of the hospital. “I know that most long nights here aren’t as exciting as you’re used to city girl but at least try to look alive,” he quips. They turn a corner as the man looks at the chart in his hands. “I think I’ve got a sneezer for you.” The woman raises an eyebrow at him and he looks over at her.

“A sneezer,” she inquires.

“Severe flu. That’s what we call them here,” he answers.

The two doctors move along until the double doors are breached by a pair of EMTS pushing a stretcher in at full speed. They quickly jump on the scene. “What do we have here,” Greg questions. One of the EMTS throws him a look. “He ran his car into one of those pesky poles. Seriously those things always seem to jump out at ya. He’s in his late 40s, probable concussion. Might wanna check for internal bleeding. He’s been in and out of consciousness since we arrived on the scene,” the serviceman supplies. Greg nods.

The patient is wheeled into the room and Keelin goes into action by cutting open his shirt. Shock stabs right through her when her eyes fall upon an emptied chest cavity and missing throat. Her movements abruptly freeze and she begins backing away from the scene altogether. Her coworker observes her actions in confusion.

“Murphy? What are you doing?”

Keelin frantically shakes her head as her heart starts pumping so quickly she hears it in her ears. “No. This isn’t real,” she says to herself. Greg goes to stand in front of her, instantly taking in her trance like mannerisms. His palms grab onto her face to tap into her focus. 

“Murphy. I need you to go to the break room okay? Can you do that?”

She stares off into the distance so he shakes her a little. It garners a few rapid blinks until she’s looking right up at him. “What,” she asks in confusion. The man raises an eyebrow at her. “Break room. Go take a breather. I’ll see you there in a few,” he orders. Keelin slowly nods and allows everything to sink in before leaving the room. As she goes, she cautiously looks over to see the unconscious man lying there with his chest and throat completely intact. The discovery of her state is worrying. Maybe the exhaustion is getting to her or maybe she’s losing her mind. 

When she makes it to the designated lounge, she finds herself falling into the habit of anxious pacing. _What is happening to me?_ The question is beating itself into her mind repeatedly. She knows that she’s suffering from the immense guilt packed on by years of suppression but it shouldn’t be this intense. She had started managing her PTSD ages ago. It couldn’t be back just to bite her in the ass. Maybe the torture was just an act of her just due.  
________________________________________

**_Keelin wakes up to the sunlight beaming down onto her and blinks rapidly at the burning sun._ **

**_The sharp grass feels jagged on her soft naked skin. There’s a cold liquid all over her mouth and nearly dried on the surface of her collarbone. She quickly sits up and rises to her feet before walking through the woods in search of her special spot. The place is easily pinpointed with her clothes hanging from the low tree branch along with other things she needs._ **

**_Going off to pursue her medical degree had effectively provided the space she needed from her family but the ever-present beast inside was still inescapable. She had learned the art of caging the animal very early on. During the nights plagued by a full moon she’d isolate herself out into the woods where the monster within her could run free without harming anyone. Then when sunrise came she stealthily left the temporary playground as if nothing had transpired the previous night. It was a routine she became accustomed to however, on particularly high energy nights she found that her alter ego has hurt humans._ **

**_Sometimes drunken party goers were lured out too far by their inhibitions. Other times there were late night and early morning joggers plagued with restlessness. It never got to the point where she was claiming bodies left and right though. She made sure to keep away from any place that made the probability all too high. She was all about safe distances._ **

**_Right now, she’s quickly cleaning up and slipping into her loose clothing. After the state of her meets satisfaction, she makes her way out of the woods and onto a scenic route. Before she can even step out, two ambulance trucks whiz past her. Her instincts ignite and suddenly she’s hoping that no one’s seriously hurt because of her or worse. The last thought hangs in the air because frankly the last thing she needs right now is a panic attack. So, she starts walking in the direction of the commotion and pretty soon she’s full on racing down the road._ **

**_A small group of people are crowding around the scene when she gets there and she approaches just before the EMTs bag the body of the victim. The horrifying image of a ripped out throat and chest cavity burns into her brain as she takes in the dead eyes of the unfortunate man. The animal control workers nearby confirm that the crime is her own doing and she backs away before running off into the other direction._**  
________________________________________

Greg finally enters the break room with a questioning gaze that brings his fellow doctor to a quick stop. Keelin straightens up and fixes an uncertain gaze back at the man prompting him to come closer to her.

“What happened out there,” he asks straightforwardly.

The werewolf takes a moment to gather her strength and musters up the best act she possibly can. “I swear that I’m not as spooked as I looked back there. I’ve just been going through it you know? I’m trying to juggle family life with a little girl who needs me and late nights here. I just wanna make sure I’m doing it right. It’s just been really tiring at times,” she answers.

The man gives her a look of sympathy and sighs. “I understand you having a lot on your plate with a baby but are you sure that’s all?” 

The creases in his forehead only magnify his seriousness and mission to get down to the bottom of the incident. Keelin bites her bottom lip and nods affirmatively. “Of course. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I could handle it. I’m all about saving lives not standing by. I know that I have to tighten up though,” she assures confidently.

“So, to make this clear…you’re sure that there’s nothing else that needs addressing,” her coworker pushes again.

“I’m sure. Doctor’s oath.”

Greg appears to accept the oath before placing a firm hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Alright. But I think it’s time you’d take a little break. The hospital is pretty quiet for now and best believe I’ll be coming for you when you’re needed.” He offers up a smile and Keelin returns a small one as well.

“Thanks,” she says graciously. Greg retracts his hand and she walks around him to leave the quiet space. 

In the sudden solitude, he briefly replays all that has transpired. It was certainly something deeper going on with the new doctor in town. Anyone with eyes would’ve noticed the haunted look on her face when she saw the injured man. She couldn’t have feared the work, right? Was it the body trauma? No, of course not, she exuded confidence in her work. After all she was an emergency doctor and that left no room for the weakest of stomachs. Things just weren’t adding up. But being who he is, he has never been one to stick his nose in where it doesn’t belong. Her explanation would have to be accepted as fact until he was otherwise unconvinced by future actions.  
________________________________________

Keelin is perched on a lab stool while injecting herself with another hearty dose of her hopeful cure. 

After the serum completely enters her vein she withdraws the needle and sets the syringe down. She scribbles notes into her journal before easing forward onto her elbows. Within her logs are the nightmarish accounts of her guilt ridden hallucinations. But also, the medical analysis she needs to perfect her treatments. If anything is clear now it’s the desperation she has for finding the cure to her ailment. 

If her realistic visions and raging emotions are to continue this way, she’s sure she wouldn’t be able to control herself. It’s starting to feel like fighting the monster inside all over again and she simply cannot live that way ever. Even with the hormones she experienced with her pregnancy, it was nothing close to this. Her whole mind, body, and soul is threatening to implode at any given moment. She just doesn’t want to witness the aftermath of it all.  
________________________________________

**_“Sad to say it but we’re sure that Patty has a weak heart. She displayed all the symptoms of a heart attack. We just need to make sure that she’s taking better care of herself,” the doctor states._ **

**_Keelin is glaring at the professional with crossed arms to her chest as she stands next to the woman’s bedside._ **

**_“This is ridiculous, she’s the strongest person I know. She’s always been healthy.”_ **

**_“Keelin,” Patty warns from her spot on the hospital bed. The elder tries to sit up and Keelin takes a moment to help her. A nurse saddles up next to the doctor with a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry honey but the tests don’t lie and it’s not the first time she has complained of chest pains. We just want her to be well taken care of that’s all.”_ **

**_The older woman suddenly becomes uncomfortable with the look of near hatred currently reserved for her and falls back slightly. The doctor only sighs at the medical student._ **

**_“Yeah, I think we need a second opinion. Thanks, now leave please.”_ **

**_Neither of them protest and they promptly take the invitation to leave the room before the younger Murphy kicks the chair beside her._ **

**_“Hey, watch that temper. I didn’t raise you that way,” Patty sounds off with furrowed eyebrows._ **

**_Keelin throws her an apologetic look before coming closer to the woman. “Grandma, this doesn’t make any sense. You shouldn’t be this bad to the point that you’re in a regular hospital undetected.” Patty gazes up at her granddaughter lovingly and takes her hand. “I should’ve been here. All this time I’ve been away while you’ve been dealing with this. It was selfish of me…I’m a horrible person,” she cries._ **

**_Patty gently pulls the young woman down to sit on the bed beside her. “No, no stop it. I’m alright. I know that you have your own life to live KeeKee. And that’s okay. You’re here now, aren’t you?” The older woman tilts her head with a sweet smile that only furthers the guilt. Keelin shakes her head furiously._ **

**_“How can I call myself a doctor when I haven’t even been taking care of my own family? I would never want for anything to happen to you, to any of you.”_ **

**_The studying doctor side of Keelin is unable to understand why her grandmother is sick in the hospital. She has always been in near perfect condition, not to mention a powerful werewolf. If only she was around more she could’ve easily saw the signs. She’s ashamed to admit that she hasn’t even seen the caring woman in several months. The fact that she could be so weak right now and yet still only worried about absolving her of her own guilt only makes her sick to her stomach. It wasn’t right how instantly forgiving her role model was._ **

**_“I don’t need some fragile being to tell me about taking care of myself. I feel fine now. Sure, I’ve had some stumbles here and there but I’m still doing all the things I was before. I don’t want you to worry yourself into a coma because of this. I have my chin up, feet planted, and…”_ **

**_Keelin casts her eyes down with a sigh before looking back up to the Murphy matriarch._ **

**_“Your heart strong,” she knowingly finishes for the elder. Patty smiles at her special grandchild before softly cradling her cheeks._ **

**_“And if you really want to take care of your nana you’ll go get me some of those delicious shortbread cookies,” she remarks with a chuckle. The younger werewolf allows a small smile to grace her lips as she nods her head. “I’ll be right back,” she affirms. Patty nods in response and settles down onto the pillow behind her while her granddaughter rises from the bed._ **

**_Keelin obliges her beloved grandmother by exiting the room to roam the hallways in search of the nearest working vending machine. It takes her a few minutes but she finally finds one. A little girl, about the age of seven is perched right in front of it. She observes as the child stares blankly at the rows of snacks through the glass._ **

**_“Hey,” she says softly as to not startle her. “Is something wrong sweetie?” The girl doesn’t bother to look at her so she comes around to stand beside her._ **

**_“I want to get that chocolate for my mom but it’s stuck now,” she responds in the most tiniest voice she’s heard from a kid, even anyone._ **

**_The werewolf observes her for a second before gazing at the chocolate bar hanging midair. “Please, step aside princess.” The med student straightens up as the young girl follows the instruction and uses her strength to shake the machine until the candy falls down. Reaching into the slot, she grabs the item and crouches down in front of the child._ **

**_“Here you go. If your mom is anything like my grandma she’ll want this right away,” Keelin jokes. The girl seems to cheer up a little bit at the gesture and Keelin turns around to obtain her own prized snack. When she grabs it from the collection of sweets she finds the quiet child still standing behind her._ **

**_“Mind if I walk you back to your mom?”_ **

**_The pint-sized stranger bites her lip in thought for a few moments before finally agreeing with a small nod of her head. The woman smiles before taking her hand and beginning the trek to their destination. The girl leads the way until they’re stopping at a hospital room, a notable distance away. Their clasped hands are relinquished but the child is hesitant to go right in._ **

**_While Keelin is watching her intently her ears pick up the chattering of nurses._ **

**_“How could anyone even think about taking their own life with their kid right there in the house? I could never do that, it just seems so selfish and unfair to the little girl,” a nurse states._ **

**_“Well, apparently her husband was the body they found mauled by some animal a few months back. It was like a bear or a coyote or something. I don’t know but it was so messed up. He was missing internal organs and everything. You don’t see too much of that around here. That’s bound to have an effect on a person. I’m just glad that she’s going to pull through. It’s so heartbreaking,” the other nurse gossips._ **

**_The revelation stirs up her already shaky emotions and she quickly apologizes to the little girl who only gazes at her blankly. She hurries away from the wing of the hospital._ **

**_A few minutes later she returns with the small package of cookies in hand and the older woman immediately senses her distress. “Is everything okay,” the elder inquires. Keelin doesn’t even try to hide her pained look because the woman had always seemed to know when something was wrong. There was no point in hiding it. She walks over to the bed but remains silent as her grandmother looks her over._ **

**_“Come lie down with me.”_ **

**_Without another second passing by she sits on the bed and swings her legs over before settling her head onto the older woman’s shoulder. The tears don’t fall and the fear isn’t spoken of as she is wrapped in protective arms. This is the most familiar thing that she has missed since being away from her family. Her grandma had always known how to make her feel safe so effortlessly with her embrace. Patty lays her head on top of Keelin’s before humming a gentle tune._ **

**_“You’re the best kind of person. You have the strongest and gentlest heart. Don’t you forget that.”_**  
________________________________________

“What is all of this?

Keelin was so deep in her thoughts that she hadn’t been alerted to the presence of her coworker. The man stalks up to her and looks around at the various items situated at her station. With the night she’s having she’s unwilling to lie straight to his face and the intelligent man seems to already be piecing things together. At the very least he already knows that something is definitely up with her. So, she releases a soft sigh.

“I’ve been working on a cure for my disease,” she explains.

A pair of eyebrows raise at the admission of truth. Greg is simply amazed by the woman’s intellect. She’s literally engineering her own form of medicine. But now he’s confused about what exactly her condition entails. “So, you’re curing yourself of what exactly,” he slowly questions with keen eyes.

She rearranges herself at the inquiry and accidently sends some vials falling off the table. Greg leaps to catch the vial holder with superb agility and clears his throat awkwardly while holding the tool. Keelin suddenly tilts her head at him. For some strange reason, the woman doesn’t feel all that threatened by the inquisitive man. It’s a feeling that she can’t even begin to explain but looking at him now, she doesn’t feel the need to hide who she really is. The conclusion is finally drawn and she summons her vibrant wolf eyes as a wordless answer. Once the memo is received she abandons the occurrence and awaits the doctor’s reaction. She doesn’t know what she’s expecting at this point but it definitely isn’t the display of golden eyes glowering right back at her. They both suddenly become in awe of each other’s secret identities.

Greg allows it all to sink in before shifting the serious turn of events.

“So, how about a cup of coffee and some catching up,” he quips.  
________________________________________

Sometime later they’ve found themselves sitting on a bench while sipping coffee under the bright moon. There’s a nice chill in the air as they relax into the sweet release of their respective secrets.

“So, you’re a legacy from a long line of werewolves but you have no family whatsoever,” Keelin inquires with an arched eyebrow. Greg only smirks at her face.

“My brothers and cousins left for a more exciting place while I stayed behind. This town was founded on werewolf culture and pride. My ancestors wanted to build a safe haven where we could truly be one with who we are. There’s still some of those values left over and the villagers have not so surprisingly held up some traditions like…getting wasted at the New Moon Festival. But…as you can see here, werewolves have been run out by uptight humans and young vibrant millennials.”

“Hm, I couldn’t even tell,” the woman quips with a smile. “But is that why you stayed behind? I mean the whole ‘safe haven of werewolves’ thing seems pretty sweet.”

Greg nods before speaking. “For me this is home no matter what,” he affirms with a shrug. “It wasn’t always easy being the only doctor in the family. They didn’t see much of a point in healing inferior people with less than open minds on truly mystical things. Sometimes I thought about what it would be like to be normal for just a day. Embracing the mundane, right?”

“I know the feeling. You can trust me on that,” Keelin says while peering down at her coffee.

The man beside her settles into thoughts about what he has come to know recently. His coworker was so willing to alter her own genetics just to be more human. It’s unlike anything he has ever seen. Sure, he has had his own fill of prideful wolves but he had never thought as far as changing who he was permanently. Quite frankly the thought seems a bit overboard and obsessive but it isn’t his plight to judge. Still, it more than interests him if he’s being honest. It brings him to ask his next question curiously.

“So, is it really that bad to the point that you feel like you have to essentially poison yourself?” 

Keelin glances up from the drink in her hand. “I’ve already been tainted by my stupid curse so what’s more toxic than that? I’ll never escape this nightmare until it’s destroyed.”

Greg studies her sad but determined expression and realizes that her mind is completely made up. He doesn’t want to push her any further so he decides on the next best thing he could ever offer. “Well, if there’s anything that I could ever do to help, just know that I’m here. It’s just us two were-doctors so we gotta stick together,” he jokes with a helping of sincerity. Keelin offers a small smile to him.

“I’m not really for the pack mentality so you’re lucky I kinda like you,” she retorts lightheartedly.

“I’ll take that as a huge compliment.”  
________________________________________

Awhile after the early morning sunrise, Keelin arrives at her very quiet home. Of course, her little resident troublemaker is preoccupied with daycare so it makes sense. She walks through the house and into her bedroom to find that her restless fiancée is already rummaging through her cabinet mindlessly. A grin takes over her features as she saunters over to the occupied woman.

“Already looking for your toys?”

The comment startles the unsuspecting witch who slightly jumps at the new presence. She whips around to face the smirking doctor who’s already stepping up to her. “Why _are_ you so deep into some mysterious task so early? You usually wait until after breakfast due to doctor’s orders,” the werewolf quips. Freya exhales a bit before knitting her fingers together.

“Just taking inventory. I was actually just on my way to pick up groceries. Someone has to do it unless we’ll just be eaten out of a whole house thanks to a little hybrid.”

Keelin beams at the thought of her growing little girl and Freya swiftly makes her way past her. On reflex she catches the mysterious woman by the arm and tugs her back into her. “Not so fast speedy. Aren’t you forgetting about something?” Freya rolls her eyes knowingly and satisfies her partner with a good morning kiss. The werewolf grabs onto her face and savors the taste as she feels long arms wrap around her gently.

Freya, herself is getting lost in the moment until the suppressed image of her victim from over a year ago flashes through her mind. She hastily pulls away making her significant other silently disappointed.

“You should get some rest. When I return I promise to be at your complete service,” she states. 

The smaller woman folds her arms. “And does this service include staying in bed with me,” the wolf asks. Freya nods her head with a grin. “For however long you’d like,” she assures expectantly. The promise appeases the doctor and she accepts the deal with a short nod.

“Okay. I’m gonna go take a shower,” she announces before placing another kiss on the taller woman’s lips. 

She moves around the witch and goes to pick out fresh clothes. Freya stands with her back now toward the other woman and sighs before leaving their bedroom.  
________________________________________

After a nice hot shower, Keelin decided to do some cleaning. It didn’t take long seeing as a certain Mikaelson considerately washed dishes and kept the place tidy. Currently, she’s brushing her thick curls while lost in thoughts about her raw experience several hours ago. Her eyes close. She just hoped and prayed that she would find her cure sooner rather than later. With a purposeful sigh she opens her eyes to find a whole new ghost in the reflection of her mirror. Behind her stands her late grandmother and an unsettling dread crawls up inside of her as the figure lurks quietly.

She forces her eyelids shut again before whipping around to face her demons head on. _I can’t fall into my fears, I’m so close to getting out_. Her eyes open to be met with the disturbing vision.

“You’re not real. I know you’re really gone,” she denies.

“I’m here. You can see me right in front of you,” Patty assures. Keelin shakes her head, hoping that the action will end her sick nightmare. “This is just my thoughts manifesting. I’m only seeing you because I can’t let you go.” The older woman tilts her head softly and the mannerism singlehandedly wounds her. It’s the very same quirk that she picked up from the deceased character. 

“I’ve always been there whenever you wanted me and I’m here now.”

Though it creates a great pain in her chest, Keelin can’t help the burst of hope that’s pooling inside of her. She doesn’t want to believe in a possibility of really seeing her grandmother again, she can’t because it’s more than impossible yet she’s finding that the foolish desire is getting the best of her. Her legs move her forward despite her better judgement and she hesitantly reaches out a hand to touch the woman’s cheek. She can feel the warm skin there and it leaves her dumbfounded. It was really the matriarch in the flesh.

“This doesn’t make any sense. You can’t really be here. You’re dead,” Keelin claims in disbelief.

“I’m confused too,” Patty avows.

Keelin inches closer as she skeptically examines the woman but before she can hold herself back she envelopes her in a hug. The embrace is strong, warm, and all the things she remembers it to be. It’s like she never left and she never had to live without her. She grips her like she could disappear at any moment and fade into obscurity because that seems like the obvious endgame. Time seems to stand still between them.

“I’m confused about why you killed me.”

The statement disturbs the younger woman who instantly backs out of the tight hold. Brown eyes widen with sudden anxiety.

“No. I would never hurt you! Why would you say that?” Keelin frantically shakes her head as tears threaten to fall. Patty maintains her place, feet away. “If you truly loved me you wouldn’t have broken my heart. Because of you I wasn’t there to defend my family when they were slaughtered by the vampires.” The younger woman can feel her body freeze into shock. “I was always so worried about my precious KeeKee. I loved you more than I could bear and because of that I suffered to death,” she concludes.

Keelin finally backs further into the space and turns around toward the mirror to will the violent hallucination away. Patty creeps up on her before forcefully gripping her shoulder. The tortured werewolf thrusts her head up as the glass reflects her wolf eyes back to her. She strikes the image before turning to lunge at the destructive apparition. The manifestation of Patty fades away into smoke and Keelin faints in its place.

Soon after, Freya returns and enters the bedroom to discover her fiancée sprawled out on the floor. 

Panic claims her senses and she immediately crosses the distance to lift her over to their bed. She holds the unconscious woman in her arms, guilt tripping herself for leaving her alone when she clearly wanted her company. It was her job to always protect her from everything and she’s failing. After Keelin finally comes to due to the distraught blonde shaking her repeatedly, a sigh of relief is finally allowed into the air. 

Freya carefully holds her up a bit and kisses various spots of her face. She doesn’t know what any of this means but for a second the thought of not being able to kiss the woman again had entered her psyche. She provides the time needed for her partner to reconcile her surroundings and is taken aback when the werewolf speaks up first.

“My nightmare seemed so real,” she breathes out while slightly disoriented. Green eyes focus on her in an attempt to make sense of the situation.

“Keelin, look at me. What are you talking about? A nightmare shouldn’t have you in this state. You looked comatose,” the blonde states.

“My grandmother was standing right there, right in this room. She was taunting me,” the werewolf proclaims. Freya gazes down at her in confusion but listens intently. It nearly crushes her heart when the woman in her arms breaks down into jagged sobs. Keelin sniffles and swallows down her tears to speak. “It had to be her. She’s the only one that ever called me by nickname.”

The detail seems to give enough confirmation for the younger woman but it only gives the witch clarity in what has truly transpired. She shakes her head at the notion.

“No, Keelin it wasn’t real. Your mind is playing tricks on you. It’s all of the guilt talking,” Freya assures.

The truth is that the whole ordeal is starting to remind her of her experience with the Hollow’s twisted games. Her own fears were preyed upon and her guilt was a weapon used against her. She had barely survived the assault on her sanity so she couldn’t even begin to imagine her true love’s chance at overcoming it. Keelin is more in tune with her emotions. She allows herself to feel which is the opposite of what the witch was taught to do since she was a child. Freya had always been amazed by that but it also didn’t take very long for her to realize that it could be the werewolf’s downfall. However, she could never let that happen.

So, she cradles the sorrowing woman and permits her to release such harmful feelings in the quiet of their bedroom. Her head rests against her partner’s tenderly as she silently swears to end this suffering.


	11. SECRETS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While spending time with Mikaela, Keelin comes across something that unlocks the door to Freya's secrets; Bridget reluctantly helps uncover the events before Mikaela's birth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the moment you've all been waiting for beginsss. Happy Not So Happy Friday! We're now full circle. Thanks to a comment from wonderlexa14 on the previous story, I got the idea to have a previous character make a return just for this moment. Also I'm ashamed to admit that I wasn't familiar with ALL that actually constitutes domestic violence so being the person I am, I looked it up so that I could properly stamp this with a warning label if need be. Hey I can be pretty responsible. Anyway based on my assessment TECHNICALLY this enters that territory at a point so...TRIGGER WARNING: DOMESTIC ABUSE/DISPUTE. I swear that there's no full on choking, punching, etc. because that's really extra and not within either of their characters to me BUT the physical acts during the confrontation actually count according to my research. 
> 
> This is sad af tbh and to me the most devastating thing about it is the emotions. But in lighthearted news if anyone can point out a certain part that I threw in as a nod to an amazing but screwed over character, then fire away haha.
> 
> Next chapter is back to being more balanced and the whole push pull thing between Keelin and Freya starts up.
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) machineheart - Stonecold: Keelin asks Bridget to examine the amulet.
> 
> 2) Vaults - Premonitions: Keelin cuts the seance short when she learns the truth about what Freya has done.
> 
> 3) Meadowlark - Eyes Wide: Keelin confronts Freya with the truth.
> 
> 4) Ingrid Michaelson - Open Hands: After losing her temper, Keelin is comforted by Mikaela and Bridget.
> 
> 5) Oh Wonder - White Blood: Freya wants to call Keelin but can't bring herself to do it.
> 
> 6) Aquilo - Silhouette: Keelin returns home but is cold towards Freya. 
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

For the past two weeks Keelin had tried to hold herself together for her family. Freya of course had refused to leave her side and honestly it was for the best. With her latest emotional break, she had no other choice but to confide in her about the events that plagued her past. While she considered herself a horrible murderer, the witch had endlessly stressed that neither deaths were her fault. It didn’t completely absolve her of guilt but it did make everything a little bit easier. The love and care she was receiving would always make her feel better. 

Although the witch could overdo her protective instincts, she would be lying if she said she didn’t need them at the time. The last thing she wanted was to have a whole meltdown in front of her smart and perceptive little baby. Her first priority was always to be a good mother to the child. And so, she worked at it day and night, never failing. 

Still some days were harder than others. She was avoiding alarming her hovering partner so she would keep those silent defeats to herself at times. In the end, all would be well once she figured out how to demolish her biology. Fortunately, she had her little charm as a sign of good luck to help her through the process.

Feeling particularly in need of a good cheering up, Keelin decided to keep Mikaela for the day. While the toddler was always a big source of comfort, she could certainly become a bit of a menace with her use of magic. Her reign of terror came in the form of a sea of toys besieging the house due to telekinesis, the failing of electronic devices, and the standard magic bombs setting off left and right. Once in a blue moon the parents were also unfortunate enough to deal with a tantrum unmanaged by her chain. The werewolf would surely find her favorite things engulfed in flames by the ardent child. 

Keelin wants nothing more than for her daughter to effectively control her power due to her incredibly sensitive nature. But sometimes the free rein method could become bothersome. Freya is constantly stressing that their child should be free to wield her magic in the safety of their home. As a firstborn of a firstborn witch her abilities could prove to be devastating if went unchecked. To say that it’s very important to tame them would be the understatement of the year. 

Presently, the little hybrid is causing the onset of a migraine with her assault on every pillow in sight. She seems to think that it’s simply majestic to detonate the cases and send the feathers floating around the room. As if the mess isn’t enough, the energetic yelling leads her mother to believe that the toddler is in the middle of a holiday celebration. 

Finally having enough, Keelin wearily places Mikaela in her play yard to leave in search of her beloved talisman. She walks into the nursery, sure that she’ll find it perched on the dresser but is met with a cleared surface. Moving over to the crib, she peers into the structure and receives the same results. A soft release of air is emitted and she turns around to reach her own bedroom. 

The room is dead silent as she scans the space for an inkling of the enchanted necklace. It couldn’t be far unless Freya was really trying to push the uber witch fantasy even in her absence. Keelin drops to her knees at the side of the bed and maneuvers her head underneath the furniture. The object she so desperately wants to see is not there. She climbs to her feet and grabs her forehead with a hand.

“Seriously Freya. Give me a break,” she breathes out into the room.

Just as she goes to turn around, the cabinet in the corner catches her eye. _Witchy storage for magical items. It has to be in there, right_?

The werewolf saunters over to the cupboard on a mission and instantly pulls the door open. Mikaela’s necklace lies right on the top shelf and she mentally thanks the heavens as she grabs the jewelry. She looks down at the item in her hand with satisfaction before peering back up to securely shut the cabinet. As she does so she can’t help but let her eyes fall upon the various items. Some of the things appear eerie in her humble opinion and she doesn’t have too much of a clue as to what most of them actually do. It’s enough to beckon her to leave but as she’s shutting the cupboard door she lingers on a purple amulet. There’s a mysterious yet familiar atmosphere about it.

Before she can even assess the strange feeling there’s an abrupt shift within her mind. A vague image of Freya dangling the item in front of her flashes back from the depths of her subconscious.

**_“Freya,” she exclaims._ **

**_The witch lifts the purple glowing amulet from around her neck to the woman’s line of vision before raising a hand. Her eyes instantly become transfixed with the stone and dilate._ **

**_“Sleep,” she commands with a snap. Keelin’s eyes become heavy as her body goes limp, falling into Freya’s awaiting arms._ **

A look of confusion and curiosity overtakes her features as she closes the cabinet completely. _Where did that memory suddenly come from? Was it even real? I can’t even tell anymore_.

The thoughts swirl around inside of her head before an idea enters the fold. Keelin suddenly reopens the cupboard and retrieves the amulet. The wooden structure is once again sealed tightly and she returns to the family room where Mikaela is wrestling with her teddy bear. She bends down to chain the child’s talisman to her little neck and wanders off a bit while observing the strange jewelry in her own palm. 

If her vision is truly a lost memory that she has never been confronted with, then that means that her fiancée has actively kept it away from her. But why? 

Without another thought she pulls out the phone from her pocket. It suddenly feels like she wouldn’t get the whole truth from the blonde seeing as she’s just now realizing that there’s some truth to tell in the first place. She would have to make sense of it another way. Her finger taps on an important contact as she knows the woman is most likely taking a lunch break. It rings for a few times until the warm voice infiltrates her ear.

“Keelin?”

“Yeah, Bridge? I think I need your help with something.”  
________________________________________

“So, what now again?”

Bridget is gazing at the woman in front of her with an arched eyebrow. They’re standing face to face in the witch’s den while Mikaela plays with toys in the nearby loft area. Keelin shakes her head with a sigh.

“I’m pretty sure that Freya hypnotized me at some point and that can only mean she’s hiding something big. I got the memory back when I looked at this,” the werewolf explains. She holds up the purple amulet by the chain and the taller woman observes it carefully.

“Keelin, maybe it’s your mind playing tricks on you again. You’ve been so stressed out honestly and I don’t want it to take a toll on you any more than it already has. You don’t even know what this is for and I have no clue about what she has spelled it to do,” Bridget offers logically. “It could be affecting you right now for all we know. She locked it up for a reason.” 

The older woman protests the theory instantly with a sharp sigh and licks her lips.

“No, I know it’s _my_ own memory Bridget. Maybe it was kept away because she doesn’t want me to know something. She can be very secretive because she’s not a fan of actually lying. Little does she recognize that it’s all the same.”

Bridget eyes her intently before shaking her own head.

“I don’t want to get involved. Keelin, it’s really not my place,” she states with uncertainty. 

“Bridget, _please_. I’m _asking_ you as a favor to me. This will bother me until I _know_ the truth. Can you just try?”

The wolf pleads with her friend while urgently looking into her eyes. The younger woman eventually gives in with a sigh and a toss of her head. “Okay. Fine. But no matter what you can’t be rash about your next move. We don’t know if you’ll like what you find and I can’t have you not thinking clearly,” the witch proclaims. Keelin nods accordingly in silent agreement. “You have to promise me Keelin.”

“I promise that I won’t do anything crazy, okay?” The witch nods and extends her hand to receive the amulet. Keelin promptly hands it over to her and watches quietly. 

“Objects tend to pick up on powerful external energies, most notably death. Seeing as this is enchanted, it’s safe to say that she was up to some business of the magical variety. It will most likely be heightened.” 

Bridget holds the jewelry within both of her palms and closes her eyes to focus her energy. The werewolf bites her lip in anticipation and after a few moments, various visions come flooding into the younger woman’s mind.

**She sees some of the events that transpired over a year ago: Freya stealthily hypnotizing Keelin, her killing the seer Ruben, the hypnotism of the young pregnant cult member, and finally she feels the strong dark energy of the ritual.**

The witch breaks out of her visions with a gasp causing Keelin to come closer with questioning eyes. The wolf places a hand protectively on her friend’s shoulder and watches as the woman lowers her head in realization.

“What’s wrong? What did you see,” Keelin questions immediately. Bridget looks up at the woman with a grave expression that has her already worrying.

“Freya did something very bad before Mikaela was born. I’m so sorry Keelin,” the witch says with regret.

“Bridget…” The older woman keeps an even tone of voice even though her emotions are starting to rile up. Brown eyes silently call for the younger woman to elaborate on the claim and Bridget dodders her head sadly. “Freya sacrificed another child to change Mikaela’s fate.”

Keelin noticeably falls back a little at the revelation.   
________________________________________

Sometime later Bridget busies herself with preparing a ritual as Keelin strolls into the room reserved for mystical work. “I finally got Mikaela to settle down for a nap. What’s all of this,” she asks while peering around.

“If you’re not cool with all the hocus pocus then you can always stay in my room until it’s done. It shouldn’t take me long,” Bridget offers considerately. Keelin protests and only comes closer to her friend.

“I want to be here for this. It’s important to me and I’m forever grateful for your help,” she replies thankfully. The witch observes her and nods her head in return. “Okay. I’m doing a séance, temporarily ‘resurrecting’ the seer that Freya was with that day,” she explains. “If anyone’s to know about the ins and outs of what she’s done then it’s him.”

The younger woman notices that her friend tenses up at the mention of the deceased man and offers an apologetic gaze.

“Hey, Keelin. I mean it. If this is all too much for you then I’d rather you take a moment instead of trying to be so strong all the time.” The werewolf refuses the option quietly. “I can do this. I just can’t believe that Freya saw a seer without telling me and then proceeded to murder him,” she claims. Her friend shoots her a look of sympathy.

“Well, we’re about to get all the gory details,” the witch remarks.

Bridget extends her hand to Keelin and pulls her in closer when she accepts it. Dark eyes pour into the nervous shorter woman. “I want you to be sure. Like before, you most definitely will hear things you won’t like. But this time they will be with your own ears.” Keelin looks right back at her and nods to confirm her understanding.

“I’m ready. I _need_ to know,” she asserts. Bridget nods before taking the woman’s other hand into her own.

“So, anyone can do this ritual. It calls for the energy of the living which means that so long as you’re _alive_ , you can successfully contact the dead. The more people present, the longer we can sustain the connection,” the witch explains. The werewolf can’t help but be endeared by her friend’s knowledge of otherworldly things.

“And just when I thought that no one could get witchier than Freya,” Keelin quips without missing a beat. 

The name suddenly feels strange on her tongue due to the recent development but the woman in front of her presents a small smile in understanding. “Are you ready to begin,” she redirects. Keelin is immediately swallowed by the uneasiness caused by the situation and Bridget impossibly softens her features even more. “Hey. Remember that you don’t have to do anything you don’t wanna do. I know that you don’t have the best history with witches.”

“Apparently not the best present and future either,” Keelin snorts with a tinge of bitterness. Her kind friend ignores it in efforts to ease her anxiety.

“I _can_ promise you that the seer died without malicious intent. In fact, he died trying to protect the woman and nature itself. You don’t need to worry about this going wrong,” Bridget affirms.

“Great, well now I feel worse. An innocent and kind man died while protecting a woman from my fiancée, the other mother of my child. I feel like I don’t know who she is anymore,” the wolf sighs. “I knew she was no saint but this…this is a whole new level that I wasn’t prepared for.” The witch listens intently as her friend sighs in confusion before shaking her head of the raging thoughts. “Okay, whatever I’m ready.”

Bridget nods quietly and closes her eyes before channeling her energy. Keelin observes the scene for several moments until the silence and anxiety gets to her. Her impatience with it is unbearable. “Um, I don’t mean to break your concentration but shouldn’t you be calling upon the spirits or something,” she questions incredulously.

The witch maintains her focus with closed eyes and slightly shakes her head.

“Nope, not necessarily. Call me a lone wolf but I’ve never been all that big on incantations. They distract me from the real gold mine of concentration so I chant in my thoughts,” Bridget explains simply. Keelin grins at the wolf comment.

“Well, I guess we have even more in common than I originally thought. Who knew that the good witch of the south was harboring the spirit of a rebel outcast,” she quips. “Yeah, well it starts to become inescapable by the time you get to your third broody werewolf. You’d think I would’ve learned the first time.” 

“Is this your attempt at wooing me?” The younger woman snorts at the insinuation. “Oh, don’t flatter yourself. Werewolf queens are even worse than the kings and I’m so far removed from learning that lesson. I think I’m all about the merpeople,” she concludes.

Keelin finds herself chuckling at the woman just as a white glow appears between them. The occurrence slightly startles her but she relaxes after she feels the soft caress of a thumb against her hand.

“I wish to speak to the seer Ruben. If you can hear me, establish contact,” Bridget requests.

A glass on the nearby table promptly wobbles around and the witch smiles to herself. “Thank you,” she remarks with satisfaction. The glowing smoke between the two women begins to shape itself into the form of the deceased witch. Keelin bites her lip while taking in the face of the unrecognizable man. It’s unsettling to actually be staring into the face of the person her intended wife had so ruthlessly killed.

“Ruben,” Bridget asks.

“Well, I’m surprised to be receivin’ a phone call so soon and from a complete stranger at that,” the seer quips. “Did we meet before?”

“No sir. I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting you before you were gone.”

“You can say the word ‘dead’ sweetheart.” Both women look past the spirit and at each other for a moment. “Well, anyway what can I help you with,” Ruben inquires. Bridget wastes no time with her task. “I’m actually contacting you on behalf of my friend, Keelin. She’s the other mother of Freya’s child, Mikaela.” The spirit sighs in realization.

“I remember. The witch’s mission kind of put her in the backseat of things.”

“Yeah, well she was able to regain her memory of Freya’s hypnotism. Obviously, she wasn’t able to see anything else that transpired after that,” Bridget hints. Ruben nods in understanding. “Yes, I was there unfortunately. She used the amulet when she concluded that the truth was too hard to manage. There was a lot of power she was exhibitin’ that day. It was unsettlin’ to say the least,” he recalls.

Keelin closes her eyes and internally cringes at the statement. The image of a ruthless Freya is destroying the happy images she had saved of the woman. This is her soulmate they were talking about. This was the person who picked her up every time she was falling to pieces and loved so fiercely. She worked so hard at being the best partner and parent. As damaged as the woman was, she would never have expected her to go so far. Their daughter had been a beacon of hope and allowed for her softer side to take hold but then again, the Mikaelson was all about destroying _any_ threat to her family. That cold side of her fiancée is one she remembers all too well. 

“So, we know that she consulted with you, hypnotized Keelin, and made the drastic decision of performing such a risky ritual but we still have some blank spots to fill in. I was hoping to utilize your default omniscience. What happened to the woman with the baby,” Bridget questions.

“It seems that she helped the woman go far away after the sudden death of the unborn child. I’m under the impression that it was her form of redemption.” Bridget tilts her head at the knowledge. “So, the child didn’t survive the ritual? I felt the strong malicious energy but I didn’t draw that conclusion,” she states with furrowed brows.

“It was a powerful spell and therefore dangerous to complete. I warned her of this. But the mother is safe and currently enthralled in the mystical time of her twenties,” Ruben affirms.

Keelin can’t believe all of the information she’s hearing. She couldn’t believe that Freya had put her to sleep against her will yet again, and to perform some life altering ritual at that. The witch had even gone so far as to carefully cover up her tracks, completely withholding the knowledge of all the death that came with her decision. It was all a huge betrayal of her trust and it’s maddening. However, she tries to keep her emotions in check for the sake of getting the whole truth. Bridget supplies her with a knowing and heartfelt gaze before continuing her conversation with Ruben.

“From seeing your interactions with Freya, I know that she was trying to alter Mikaela’s potential of being consumed by her own magic. But correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t quite get the feeling that stealing the savior of a cult would have the best endgame here,” she remarks. Ruben sighs regretfully.

“No, it does not. In the process of it she added more enemies to her list. With the knowledge of more magical beings, the loss of the mother and heir, and tremblin’ faith they found a way to seek revenge,” he retorts.

Bridget and Keelin share an uneasy look. “Please, tell us,” the witch requests.

“With their savior’s fate now tied to Freya’s child, they will stop at nothin’ to claim her as their own. They even found a way to leave her vulnerable. A mark was placed on any offspring the witch produces through her own blood, renderin’ them or in this case her daughter, completely open to any of her enemies. No defensive magic or cloakin’ can work. I’m sorry,” the seer reveals with a sympathetic expression. 

Keelin feels the air rush out of her lungs and her surroundings become a dizzying blur. Her hands leave Bridget’s causing the connection with Ruben to break instantaneously. The taller woman gives her a pained expression. “Keelin…” Before she can finish her statement, she’s interrupted.

“So, Freya did so many bad things just to get a twisted bounty placed on my daughter in the end,” the werewolf questions shakily.

Bridget briefly goes quiet as her heart begins breaking for her tormented friend. 

“My baby is completely vulnerable to all of Freya’s enemies, probably more enemies than I know of.” The distressed woman shakes her head frantically. “Keelin, I need you to just breathe,” Bridget appeals. All the torturous thoughts brought on by the revelation come tumbling out of the shorter woman. “This is why she was suddenly so gung-ho about leaving New Orleans behind, her home. I was so ready to start fresh that I didn’t even stop to question her motives,” she chides. The witch is unpleased with how her friend is berating herself and steps closer.

“No. This is not your fault babe. Don’t ever blame yourself for something you had no control over. Freya knew what she was doing and she still made those bad choices anyway. It’s all on her.”

“But it’s also on me,” Keelin throws back. “Mikaela has to suffer the consequences either way and this whole time I had no clue about the danger. I can’t let them take my baby away from me.” Bridget watches as the woman retreats into herself with all the pain and guilt. None of it is fair and she couldn’t just spectate the downfall of a family. The little girl held such a deep connection to her and she couldn’t let her be snatched from the life she was meant to have.

“We won’t. I swear that we won’t let them take her away.” Keelin gazes at the woman in disbelief. Now knowing what she knows, she refuses to drag the kind soul into her own mess. “This isn’t your fight. You heard him, they’re coming for blood and I couldn’t live with myself if I put you in the line of fire like Freya has done with Mikaela,” she asserts. She fiercely shakes her head at the idea but Bridget embraces her in turn.

“It’s not up to you and it’s not your choice. I want to fight for this precious little girl. She doesn’t deserve to have her life stolen before she even gets to live it. We’re doing this together okay? I’m not going anywhere and I won’t stop until we know that she’s safe,” Bridget declares unwaveringly.

Her hold tightens around Keelin who grasps at her shirt while letting the tears fall. The werewolf is in awe at the woman in her arms, the woman who is so willing to lay down her own life and fight for her like family. Honestly at this point she practically is like family and she’s eternally grateful to have such a person in her corner.

“Thank you.”  
________________________________________

After the big shock to her system in the form of Freya’s misgivings, Keelin opted to stay at Bridget’s house for the rest of the day. The woman had been a godsend, lending her ear and wiping her tears every time they fell. She found it hard to imagine doing this without a friend, let alone one like the selfless caregiver. The witch had wasted no time offering whatever she needed and stressed that she was behind her a hundred percent. It helped ease her enough to start making important decisions regarding her dire situation. 

The obvious first task is getting some of her things from home so she left in a rush before she could let her fears get to her. The very thought of having to face Freya after learning of her betrayal simply set her emotions in a flurry all over again.

She’s finally calm and level headed but she isn’t completely sure of what her reaction would be at this point. All she knows is that she’s hurt, devastated, terrified, and angry. Those feelings were sure to be set off in the presence of the Mikaelson. But she knows that she couldn’t just hide away from her. Their confrontation is something that she’s not ready for at the moment but it’s also inevitable. 

Keelin pulls into the driveway and sits in her car while reflecting on these thoughts. A willful sigh releases into the air as she steadies herself. _I just need to grab my things and go. That’s it for now._

With that thought, she finally steps out of the vehicle and strides over to the front door. She digs into both pockets of her jacket and realizes that she left her house key inside somewhere when she went to go see Bridget. She wanted the truth about her memory but couldn’t find her keychain and instead settled for her spare car key without another thought. Now she couldn’t even enter alone on her own accord. It was just her luck to be given virtually no time to prepare for the situation. It’s ridiculous but with the anxiety creeping up into her and the relentless anticipation she finds the simple mistake igniting a fire within her.

Her fist frantically pounds on the door and within a few moments she’s staring at her unsuspecting fiancée. It instantly puts her on edge and she can feel her body trembling in order to contain her growing animosity.

Freya seems to pick up on the shift as well but doesn’t read too much into it.

“Keelin,” she questions.

The werewolf regards her for another moment before stepping into their home with a shake of her head. She moves right past the blonde without so much as a greeting. “I was in a rush over here and I forgot my keys to get in,” she states simply.

“Where’s Mikaela?”

“I left her with Bridget.”

Freya feels a tinge of jealousy at the thought of her daughter being with the woman so late. But right now, she’s finding herself more concerned with her fiancée’s strange behavior so she pushes it aside. “But why is she there instead of here with us?” Keelin stops a few feet away with a harsh sigh.

“Do you really want to do this now Freya? Cause once you do it there’s no taking it back.”

The witch looks on in confusion as the woman finally turns around to face her. Her cold demeanor sends a chill up her spine. “Keelin, what’s happening right now,” the blonde questions. A scowl swipes across the werewolf’s face and Freya becomes uneased by it alone. “You tell me,” the woman states. Freya goes to speak again but is promptly cut off. 

“Did you sentence a seer to death,” Keelin suddenly asks with an eerie calm. The witch gapes at the woman in disbelief. “Did you allow our daughter to inherit your enemies before she could even walk?” Freya is speechless as her heart begins to race. “Freya, the Great Protector screws up daughter’s chance and seals her fate with vengeful assailants,” the werewolf spews in bitterness. “I know what you did. Here I was killing myself over and over again worrying about what _my_ genes could do to her while you had already done the worst thing possible.”

The woman angrily rocks her head as the witch prepares herself.

“Keelin, you have to listen to me. You have to understand,” Freya tries nervously. A single tear falls from Keelin’s eye as misery consumes her. Her rage would never compare to her heartbreak.

“I thought you said that I saved you. That without me you’d be lost to darkness. Well I’ve been with you Freya and that darkness has still been here all along. You’ve failed to tell me what you’ve done!”

Freya stands there wide eyed like a dear in headlights. Her brain is rattling with thoughts whizzing by so fast she can’t even properly comprehend them. Part of her doesn’t believe that this is real. It wasn’t meant to be like this, not when she was so close to doing right by the woman. She wasn’t prepared for this provocation before and she surely isn’t now. It’s all taking her by surprise and crushing her with a dead weight. She hesitates amid the outburst.

“Keelin, I…”

“No, no more excuses! This time your fears had horrible consequences. You _took_ someone else’s life and sealed another fate. By bargaining a _child’s_ life, you’ve done the exact same to our daughter!” Freya is shaken by the release of the information. Hearing her crimes being called outright is becoming suffocating. “You killed a baby! An unborn child that could’ve just as easily been ours! How could you live with that? Freya, I don’t even know who you are,” the heaving woman exclaims. 

Keelin is beyond livid. The barely tamed fury is shaking her body as Freya is racked with immense guilt. She finally speaks up.

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way Keelin, I had no choice! You know that I would do anything to protect her just like I would for you! This was unforeseen. I wouldn’t have made that choice had I known,” she claims.

The werewolf snorts bitterly at the poor explanation. “So, when you decided to meet a seer without my knowledge you had no way of seeing what pain you would cause? When you decided to just never tell me anything, that wasn’t a choice you had? Dammit, Freya you _always_ have a choice! And you chose to make rash decisions without even considering what the hell I wanted! This may be news to you but she’s my daughter too! Neither of us deserved this,” she outpours with vexed features.

Unable to look at the woman in front of her any longer, Keelin swiftly exits on a mission to their bedroom. Freya is frozen in her place but quickly gains her bearings to follow the fuming woman. She stands in the threshold to find her partner already packing a bag of some of her things. When she’s satisfied she walks right through the blonde to reach the nursery. The action causes the witch’s thoughts to catch up to the rapid beating of her heart and she follows the brunette accordingly. “Keelin,” she calls. Her words are futile as the smaller woman packs the belongings of their daughter.

She zips up the duffle bag and pushes her way past the blonde without a single utterance. Freya trails behind intensely and grabs her by the arm.

“Keelin,” she desperately exclaims.

Desperate to get away, the werewolf pushes with the bulk of her strength, sending the witch flying back into the farthest wall. At the end of the hallway picture frames shatter from the impact. She then tries to escape the climbing tension by going back toward the front of the home. But while she’s approaching the exit, an invisible force halts her movements and holds her in place. 

The werewolf growls knowingly as the witch swiftly walks up from behind with an outstretched arm. “Keelin, I just want to talk about this. I can’t let you go, or this family for that matter. None of it,” she proclaims.

Freya shakes her head along with the statement and Keelin feels more fury at her for once again controlling the situation. The witch drops her hand and turns the woman around to face her, giving the wolf the opportunity to send her tumbling back into an adjacent wall. Keelin aggressively holds the blonde in place with a forearm positioned across her neck.

“Let me go, Freya,” she warns.

Green eyes pierce right through her and suddenly a tremor sifts through the home. Keelin whips her head up toward the shaking ceiling and Freya pushes her back telekinetically. The werewolf slightly stumbles in surprise before the witch grabs her and the instant reaction is to throw the blonde back into the wall behind them. More framed keepsakes are displaced by the sudden force.

The taller woman slightly slouches against the wall as the brunette approaches furiously. She makes quick work of assuming dominance by pinning the werewolf against the wall with all her strength.

“We need to talk about this,” Freya urges.

The smaller woman fights her hold with peak irritation before shoving her away. She once again tries to leave until the witch grasps her arm. With all the anger consuming her, Keelin strikes the blonde across the face on a whim. The force of it slightly knocks Freya back and draws blood. A mark resembling claws extends from her cheekbone down to her split bottom lip.

It’s impossible to tell who’s more shocked as both women breathe heavily but Keelin doesn’t back down on her stance.

“No,” she maintains firmly. “Nothing you say can make me stay here. And why would you want that? Look at me. I’m tired, Freya. I’m angry and I’m so frightened to death about not knowing how to fix your mistakes.” Keelin turns her back in shame. Her loss of control is mortifying and she can barely look at the older woman. It didn’t matter how mad she got, she never wanted things to escalate so far between them.

Freya slowly takes in the physical act of violence. She feels horrible for pushing the woman too hard, especially with knowing of the struggle with her heritage. Still, she couldn’t just let her walk away from her and into the unknown. It would annihilate her.

“Keelin, please. Don’t leave. We need to be together now more than ever. I need you in order for us to survive this. Our daughter needs us together, as a family,” she pleads. The woman in question finally turns around in frustration but remains silent. “You leaving will only make it easier for them to get what they want. I won’t let that happen,” Freya declares with a shake of her head. She slightly steps forward.

“So, what? You’re going to put some spell on me so that I’m under your control? If all else fails ready the sleeping curse huh,” Keelin remarks bitterly.

“I’m _asking_ you to stay. I’m _begging_ you for the sake of our family.”

“So, now it’s _our_ family? You know what, you’re right about it making it easier for them if I leave. That’s the _only_ reason why I’m not going to. But don’t put this on me Freya. It wasn’t up to me to create this problem. You did that all on your own. I need you in order to save Mikaela but I can’t deal with it like _this_.” Freya licks her bloodied lip and seeps into her anxiety. Keelin draws back at the reminder of her chaos. “I have to go. Me and Mikaela are staying at Bridget’s tonight while she helps me figure things out,” she informs.

She watches the fall of the other woman’s face at the mention. Her sadness, hatred for herself, and now jealousy concocts some spite within.

“So, she’s just there for you to always run to now? She’s not family. This doesn’t concern her, she’ll only…”

“She’ll only what Freya,” Keelin exasperatedly cuts in. “She can’t possibly make things any worse than they already are. Since I’ve met her she’s been the best friend I’ve had in, I don’t even know how long. She’s good. She makes things easier and she _listens_ to me. There’s not a selfish bone in her body and she hasn’t failed yet to be supportive. She’s a constant.”

Freya crosses her arms silently while swallowing.

“There was a time when I wasn’t family either remember? But for me she is a part of mine whether you like it or not,” she continues. The blonde clenches her jaw at the comparison and Keelin becomes irritated. “God, there’s no room for your petty jealousy anymore. We have an innocent life to think about!”

At this statement, the witch unfolds her arms and steps in front of her partner before taking her hands. Keelin reluctantly allows her to do so but casts her eyes down to the floor.

“I _will_ fix this Keelin,” the taller woman proclaims while rocking her head. “I swear it. No one will hurt our daughter. Not as long as I’m living. I can’t lose her ever.”

The younger woman finally looks up into her green eyes. Freya can see all of the pain, despair, guilt, and anger she has caused her. The woman’s trust is waning by the second right before her eyes. She had no other choice but to correct her mistakes and find the solution to their problem.

“Your promises mean nothing now. I need you to just make sure that nothing happens to my baby. We’re already here, in this mess so that’s all I want,” she states softly. Tears are streaming down her face as she retracts her hands from the witch’s grasp. Freya is feeling a pain that she has never felt so deep inside. With all the loss she’s experienced in her life, nothing compares to this. She couldn’t be losing so much so quickly.

“I’m keeping her with me tomorrow,” Keelin announces.

Any other day the statement would be met with no protest but right now it feels like the confirmation of their family splitting up. “Keelin,” the blonde tries with firm opposition. It goes ignored by the werewolf.

“I don’t want her to see the aftermath of this, it’s too raw. She can’t know what mommy did to mama, she’s too pure.” Keelin shakes her head before sighing. “Bridget and I have work to do but I’ll be home awhile after.” 

Freya tilts her head sadly and the smaller woman cringes at the evidence of abuse at her own hands. She shakes her head again to clear her thoughts before licking her dry lips. “That’s the best that I can do. I need to go now Freya.”

With that she turns away to walk to the front door. She opens and locks it before slipping out into the night. Freya is left with relentless thoughts and tattered emotions. If she fails she’ll lose everything that means anything to her. If she succeeds it seems as if the same is bound to happen. Keelin couldn’t even bear to look at her anymore. She couldn’t even stand her presence. Her family is falling apart and her fears are crushing everything in their path. She’s all alone.  
________________________________________

Keelin quietly walks into the bedroom to find Bridget gently rubbing Mikaela’s back as she sleeps. The woman acknowledges her presence by placing a pointer finger to her lips.

“Just got her to sleep,” the witch whispers.

The werewolf gazes at her peaceful daughter and sits down on the bed across from her friend. Bridget examines her carefully. “Do you want to talk about it,” she softly inquires. Keelin shakes her head as a negative and sighs.

“I’d just like to go to sleep and make this all a dream.”

Bridget gets up without another word and pulls back the covers on the side she was just sitting on. She extends an arm out to the exhausted woman and summons her with a gesture. “Come here. You need a decent night of rest,” the woman orders. Keelin obliges by kicking off her shoes and sliding in right behind the slumbering toddler. Her caring friend turns off the lamp and then climbs in next to her before wrapping an arm around her. The wolf presses a kiss to her daughter’s head.

“We’ll figure this out,” Bridget affirms.  
________________________________________

The night before had been a rollercoaster of emotions but Keelin is ready to work on saving Mikaela.

By the looks of the empty space behind her, it’s safe to say that her magic wielding companion is also on the same page. Throughout the night, Keelin had tossed and turned with all her prodding fears. Her personal struggles, the secrets, and her fight with Freya were ruthlessly demanding of her attention the whole time. 

She felt bad for inconveniencing the woman but as always, she was promptly dismissed with justification by her friend. The witch was too good for the world. 

Sometime around four o’clock in the morning the werewolf noticed that Bridget was missing and figured that maybe she went to the bathroom. However, when she got up two hours later there was still no caretaker in sight. It didn’t take long for Keelin to discover the early bird deep in concentration as she reads through her sufficient library of books.

She quietly lets her gaze linger on the focused woman before alerting her of her presence.

“Couldn’t sleep either?”

Bridget peers up from the thick book in her arms and offers a smile to her tired friend standing in the doorway. “I’ve never been able to sleep through an entire night so don’t worry. You didn’t keep me up.”

Keelin accepts the assurance with a nod before stepping across the threshold. 

“So, what are you working on,” she asks curiously. The younger woman lowers her eyes back down to the reading material right in front of her. 

“We need a way to destroy the curse on Freya or else we have a lot more than a human cult to worry about. I’m not familiar with all the forces against her but since she doesn’t seem to play well with others…I have a feeling that she has more foes than friends. With a vulnerability over Mikaela, the enemies will just keep coming regardless of any attempts to protect her,” Bridget proclaims.

“You think you can lift it,” the wolf questions while moving closer.

“I have to try,” her friend shrugs. “I just need to know what exactly I’m dealing with.”

Keelin folds her arms to her chest. “Anything I can do?” Bridget promptly shakes her head in protest with a small smile. “The best thing that you can do right now is to be patient with me. I’ll let you know when I’ve got something okay,” she assures.

The older woman reluctantly nods and gives her friend the space she needs by going to check on her sleeping daughter.  
________________________________________

Freya hasn’t slept since Keelin left the night before with fire in her veins.

She didn’t even attempt to because it was simply impossible. All night the details of their confrontation played on a loop within her broken mind. And all night she couldn’t help the frantic thoughts about her daughter, the state of her relationship with Keelin, and the possibility of watching her family crumble into nothingness.

The only safe place left to go to was her work and so she snatched herself away to her farm shed. 

She’s been flipping through page after page in every grimoire she owns knowing that she’ll only be met with the same frustrating results. But still she had to try. She could never stop trying when it comes to the safety of her family. It just wasn’t in her blood to do so. Whether this notion got her into trouble or not it was useless to even fight against. Family has always meant everything to her as far back as she could remember. 

The lack of concentration is disconcerting however. Her idle hands threaten to pick up the phone in order to call the one person that always made her feel better. She wants so desperately to hear the voice of the person she needs right now but she knows that the woman is so far out of reach. And even worse, she made things this way.

Loneliness has a different taste when you’ve actually had the pleasure of existing without it.  
________________________________________

Two hours later, Keelin saunters into the room with a steaming mug of coffee. “I hope you got somewhere with all the hard work you’ve been doing,” she comments before sitting the cup onto the nearby table. A frustrated sigh escapes the younger woman as she forcefully shuts a book closed. The action is zoned in on by the werewolf who stands right next to her. Bridget rubs her forehead and looks up at her friend wearily.

“I’m sorry, Keelin. I’ve worked all night on this, even triple checking to make sure. There’s no way to lift the mark from Freya and by extension Mikaela,” she regretfully informs.

Her tired eyes are shining as she gives the woman a heartbroken gaze. Keelin only feels the anger fueling within her. All of the frustration and resentment she displayed last night is suddenly boiling to the surface once more. Before she can stop herself, she’s picking up a chair and tossing it into the case of items several feet away. Bridget cringes as the glass shatters everywhere and the werewolf covers her own face briefly.

“Dammit Freya,” she yells into the air.

“Keelin,” Bridget warns a few seconds later.

The older woman peers over at her friend due to the cautious tone of voice. The witch softly gestures her head behind her friend and the woman whips around to find Mikaela standing in the threshold of the doorway. She’s wearing a sky-blue pajama set with her favorite teddy bear hugged inside of her arm. Curious hazel eyes gaze at her in confusion. Keelin’s own eyes immediately soften as she crouches down to the child’s level.

“Come here, baby.”

Her tone is a stark contrast to the one she just unleashed moments before. The toddler follows the instruction and walks over to her mother who instantly envelops her into a tight hug. The woman sighs at the feel of her daughter but also at her impatience with herself. She is completely unprepared for the next thing she hears.

“Mommy, mad?”

Keelin’s heart aches at the inquiry from the sweet little concerned voice. She shakes her head wordlessly and holds the child tighter. This is what she wanted to avoid by keeping her away from the scene of last night’s destructive events. Her baby is far too young to even have to concern herself with the wellbeing of adults tasked with caring for her. The little girl never failed to amaze her with those special moments of maturity.

“Mommy’s sorry,” the werewolf apologizes. She picks her daughter up and turns back around to face her friend with high volumes of regret plastered on her face. “I’m so sorry.” Bridget only nods at the woman.

“It’s okay. See.”

The witch uses her magic to pick up the shards of glass and push them back into place leaving the case intact. The furniture appears as good as new and Keelin nods her head at the act. Tears begin to stream from her eyes as the exhaustion hits her full force. Bridget closes the short distance to envelop her struggling friend into a warm hug with Mikaela in between them. 

“It’s okay, Keelin. We’ll find a way. I promise that we’ll find a way no matter what,” Bridget swears.  
________________________________________

Night came and far too soon if it was up to Keelin. She enters into her home with no sign of the witch she had been avoiding. A sigh of relief is expelled as she begins to unzip the jacket around her daughter. While doing so she sees the moment that hazel eyes light up as they shoot past her. She looks down knowingly.

“Mama,” the toddler exclaims.

Keelin straightens up and slowly spins around to find Freya walking over tentatively. Her fingers are threaded into each other and she subtly bites her bottom lip before gazing down at their daughter lovingly. “Hi there,” she coos. The werewolf awkwardly steps aside and notices the small bandages placed vertically over the blonde’s scratches. Her head is downcast at the sight of it and she takes the moment to leave the room entirely. Freya lifts Mikaela up into her arms but watches sadly as her partner goes before pushing a smile onto her lips for the child. 

“I missed you so much,” the witch says before kissing the little girl.

“Miss you,” the toddler drawls.

Mikaela examines her face and lightly touches her wound with furrowed eyebrows. “Ouch,” she drawls. Freya peers down and nods her head lightly suddenly unable to will words. It doesn’t matter because the child is instantly pressing palms underneath her jawline carefully to provide her boo boo with a kiss. “All…better,” she drawls sweetly. She pulls back and looks at her mother in satisfaction. Green eyes stare at her in awe.

“I feel much better,” the woman states with a smile. “Hey, wanna play for a little bit?” The toddler nods her head furiously in excitement. “Play,” she exclaims. 

Freya moves over to the play yard and gently lowers her daughter into it. She observes her for a moment before making her way to find the woman that’s claiming her thoughts. The master suite is empty and so is the bathroom so she finds herself halting at the spare bedroom where the werewolf is undoubtedly stationed. Keelin is preparing the bed by spreading out sheets and covers. The witch can feel her whole being compress at the scene. There’s a brief hesitation before she finally steps forward.

“You don’t have to do that. You can have our bed, anything you want.” Keelin ignores the offer and silently continues to carry out her task of tucking the sheets underneath the mattress. The blonde sighs before once again attempting to establish conversation with the unwavering woman. “I don’t want to get in the way. You shouldn’t have to uproot yourself,” she tries.

Keelin finally stalls her actions to peer up at the taller woman watching her from a few feet away.

“I couldn’t possibly take it if I had to lay in a bed full of lies,” she states evenly. Freya wearily lowers her head at the admission with guilt and Keelin sighs deeply. “I’m _here_ for Mikaela…and I’m just _really_ tired at the moment.” 

Freya lifts her eyes to the other woman sadly but nods in understanding. She backs out of the room to leave and Keelin quietly cradles her face in her hands.


	12. ALL THE PRETTY HORSES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freya tries to make amends with Keelin but it proves to be her hardest task yet; Keelin struggles with all of her conflicting emotions; Mikaela receives her first waking vision; The connection between Bridget and Greg is comically revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised this chapter is way lighter than the last and LEAGUES lighter than the next. Location jumping is present here since Mikaela gets some shine lol. There's one flashback in this and it's bittersweet depending on which way you look at it. Next chapter is "Malraux" which will be long af since it's covering important parts of Keelin's family history leading up to their demise (literally Order 66 style). It's through her own words and flashbacks. Very flashback heavy. Anyway...
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) The National - Guilty Party: Freya gets Mikaela ready for daycare and Keelin leaves Freya coffee as a slight peace offering.
> 
> 2) The Colourist - Yes Yes (Magic Man Remix): Freya comes to the bar to talk to Keelin.
> 
> 3) Apparat - Goodbye: Mikaela gets a vision at daycare.
> 
> 4) of Verona - Who Do You Love: Keelin is being difficult and Freya walks out of the bar.
> 
> 5) Bridgit Mendler - Diving: FLASHBACK of Freya and Keelin in bed.
> 
> 6) Ed Prosek - Give It All: Freya watches Mikaela pet horses at the Allen Family Ranch.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

Freya neatly smooths Mikaela’s shirt out and crouches down to tie her shoelaces. It’s an early morning hustle and the witch is on daycare duty. Keelin graces the pair with her presence before gazing down at their daughter. 

“Bye Roo Roo! Be a good girl today okay?” She leans down to kiss the child sweetly. “Okay,” the little hybrid drawls. “That’s my girl. I love you,” the woman says as she caresses her cheek. Freya completes her task but is too cautious to chance a look at the werewolf. When she finally does she realizes that she is already gone. 

Since the big implosion of her secrets, things between them have been far from easy. They weren’t even really on neutral ground to be honest but both women silently agreed to at least be civil in the face of their daughter. They both want nothing more than to be the best parents they can be to their little girl. 

But still she couldn’t help the selfish part of her that just wanted to feel a glance in her direction. Or maybe even a word uttered to her by the woman. She’s starting to feel like a stranger in her own home.

She stands up and leads Mikaela toward the front of the house. The space is completely quiet and she finds herself sighing deeply in disappointment. Perhaps it was still too soon for them to be able to carry an actual conversation. Suddenly discouraged by the state of things, she walks into the kitchen where her line of vision falls upon a lone coffee mug. As she draws near it she quickly recognizes the cup of coffee to be Keelin’s form of a peace offering. The small extension is enough to have her smiling to herself graciously. Maybe there was an ounce of hope after all. Peering down she finds Mikaela toying with a string on her shirt.

“Let’s get you to daycare little one.”  
________________________________________

At the bar, Keelin and Bridget occupy a table while talking about their biggest task yet.

“There’s a thousand ways to so called protect Mikaela yet none of them are a hundred percent. It’s like the world’s most deadliest catch twenty-two,” Bridget sighs before smoothing her forehead. “Look at this. We can always use some sacrificial magic. Of course, that would require a body or two for this particular situation. Or look! We can volunteer our souls to be devoured!”

Keelin tilts her head at the frustrated sarcasm. It wasn’t a very entertaining thing to see her friend so overworked and beating herself up about something she had no control over. 

“Hey,” she says while reaching over to her. “You’re doing everything you can and that’s all I could ever ask for. Mikaela is safe in your hands.”

The two women gaze over at each other from across the table with genuine smiles. The witch nods her head and relaxes. Freya strides in from the entrance and scans the scene before noticing the pair. Unbeknownst to the friends, the blonde quickly comes over and stands above them. Two sets of brown eyes peer up at her in surprise.

“Freya. What are you doing here,” Keelin asks.

The woman furrows her eyebrows as her friend sits back in her seat. It’s a simple question but for Freya it’s the first sentence her partner has uttered to her in days. It makes it all the more noteworthy to her. “I think that we need to talk about the daycare situation.”

Bridget moves over to the chair next to Keelin and allows Freya to slide down into the seat she was just occupying. The jilted lovers are now looking at each other head on from both ends of the table. 

“What about it? Everything is fine,” the wolf replies with confusion. The blonde shakes her head. “Now that Bridget is obviously preoccupied, I think that it’s best if we remove Mikaela from there altogether,” she offers up. Now Keelin is the one protesting. “This is a temporary thing. She’ll be back and you can’t just uproot her from a routine she’s become accustomed to.”

“Well, I’m not willing to risk any mishaps for the time being,” the Mikaelson stresses.

“The decision is made,” the younger woman states firmly.

Green eyes narrow sharply at unshakable brown ones. “What’s it like to not be a part of the process, when it comes to our daughter that is.” Freya stiffens at the thinly veiled remark while Bridget is noticeably uncomfortable. 

“Keelin, I’m trying to make amends here. I’m trying to protect her and you’re just shutting me out. We’re supposed to be a family,” the oldest woman breathes out. The werewolf goes completely silent as they stare each other down. While one gaze is pleading, the other is unbothered. The third wheel is nearly sinking in her own seat at the virtual standoff.

“Well, I need another drink if I’m going to figure this all out _and_ survive this full on gun slinging,” Bridget cuts in. The older witch slightly turns her head to regard her.

“I should be a part of that seeing as it’s _my_ daughter’s life at stake,” she remarks territorially. Keelin briefly looks away incredulously right then. “You were already putting her life there remember,” she asks sarcastically. As the apparent mediator, Bridget awkwardly jumps to cut in with no protest toward the blonde’s previous remark.

“Okay,” she says firmly. “You are more than welcome to be a part of this Freya. I, however am going to go get another drink before you guys give me an aneurysm.”  
Bridget rises from the table after her announcement and both parents ease back into their seats quietly. The air between them is thick with tension and neither of them know how to navigate their new dynamic.  
________________________________________

“Truck,” a little boy remarks as he offers the plastic car.

Mikaela promptly accepts the toy from her classmate and begins rolling it along the play mat. She scoots on her knees as she travels along the length of it before stopping near the door. 

**_Without warning, a flash of images overtakes her mind and she watches a band of horses running through an endless field._ **

**_The grass is incredibly green and freshly cut while the bright sun beats down._ **

**_The strongest and fastest one is a beautiful brown steed with a white stripe between its eyes._ **

**_The child looks on in complete awe of the scene. Suddenly, the day shifts to a fog covered night and she is greeted by a bold moon radiating a blinding light._ **

A chorus of whispers infiltrates her ears and softly caresses her senses. They beckon her near with the repetition of a single word, come. The sound is so enticing she finds herself climbing to her feet and shuffling toward the voices in a haze. 

The other children in the class are long forgotten as she exits the room without alarming the caregiver in charge.  
________________________________________

“Like always, your love of taking charge is clouding your better judgement. Stop trying to control everything and actually listen to an idea other than your own.”

Bridget sips on her drink as she quietly spectates the back and forth between the two women.

“I’m protecting my family. It’s the only thing that I know how to do,” Freya declares. Keelin sighs deeply enough to fall back into her seat as she watches the blonde. “I know of great sacrifice, surely these greater forces will accept the proper offering.”

“Oh, you sure do know all about that huh?”

“Yes, whatever it takes to keep this family together. I’m going to keep us together,” the blonde claims.

“Yeah, well it looks like you’re failing at that too,” the wolf retorts.

Everything suddenly becomes quiet and Bridget looks between the two. Her glass is placed onto the table as she clasps her hands. “Maybe we need a timeout on the couple war,” she intervenes. Freya shakes her head and rises to her feet. The seated women gaze up at her.

“It seems as if this isn’t going to get anywhere productive. So, I’ll just leave. I _will_ find a way to fix everything…even if you don’t believe this to be true.”

Without weighing in on a response, Freya swiftly makes her exit and Bridget turns to Keelin. The werewolf exhales harshly and gets up to go after the older woman. She walks out of the door just quick enough to catch her partner walking away. “So, just like that you’re running away again?” The blonde quietly turns around to face the conflicted woman. “I should be the one walking away from everything you’ve destroyed,” she remarks with frustration.

Freya shakes her head in defeat. “I’m not running away,” she sighs. “I’m finding a way to protect our daughter. Time is not a luxury we can afford right now but it’s going to be done.”

“Is this really what it’s gonna be like now? Me being so angry I can barely look at you? And you trying so desperately to convince me that my biggest fear isn’t coming true,” Keelin questions sadly. The witch remains silent as she stares at the woman. “You said you were trying and I’m trying too. I _swear_ that I’m really trying. But I’m just losing it here. Everything changed in a single day.”

The older woman steps closer and takes the opportunity to cradle her partner’s face before lowering her head to the other woman’s eye level.

“I won’t let anything happen to Mikaela. I’ve made mistakes that I’m now paying for but she’s not going anywhere. I _promise_ you that,” Freya swears with conviction.

Keelin tilts her head as she gazes up into powerful green eyes. Her heart still beats crazily when she looks at her and it only confuses her more. She’s so full of anger and spite yet she still cares so deeply for the blonde in front of her. It’s making her go mad. Freya is also feeling her emotions so intensely. This is the first time she has touched Keelin in what feels like ages and surprisingly the woman is actually letting her. The fact is enough to make anyone get carried away by the sensations. 

Before she can even properly assess her own actions and rightfully stop herself, she draws in for a kiss only to be denied midway through. The smaller woman silently protests her advances before speaking up. 

“No,” she utters simply. “You don’t get to do that. Not when you’ve gambled with lives.” 

She rattles her skull in disbelief and backs away, leaving Freya standing there with a sullen expression.  
________________________________________

Meanwhile, at the daycare the woman in charge comes over to observe the little group of toddlers with a smile. 

As her eyes scan over them she notices one little girl missing. “Has anybody seen Mikaela,” she inquires carefully. The children only call for their classmate in response. Quickly, she begins searching for the baby around the room. There’s no little hazel eyed charmer in sight. She moves to the door before throwing a glance back at the assistant playing with another group of attendees.

“I’ll be right back Linda. Keep a close eye on them,” she directs.

Without another moment to waste she enters the hallway while feeling her nerves building up. _She couldn’t have gone far. Oh god this has never happened ever._ She peeks into each room as she goes but each door is securely closed and inaccessible for a child as young as the one she’s searching for.

Before she knows it she’s at the entrance of the building. The door is wide open and her adrenaline shoots into action. Her legs carry her out into the sunshine and she begins to call out to the child in her care.

“Mikaela,” she yells through her panic.

Her eyes survey the area and eventually they settle on a tiny figure walking toward the street. The little girl appears to be in a sort of trance as she inches along. “Mikaela,” the woman screams before frantically running straight toward her. When she is within a comfortable vicinity of the toddler an invisible force brings her progress to a grinding halt.

She is bewildered by the situation but still focuses on the child a few feet away. “Mikaela,” she screams yet again with great anxiety. 

At last, Mikaela snaps out of her strange condition and the hold on the woman’s body is released instantaneously. She watches as the girl turns around to her with blank eyes and wastes no time racing over to her. The toddler is scooped up into her arms as she cradles her head. A labored sigh of relief pushes out of her chest as she rocks the child side to side.  
________________________________________

Keelin barges back into the bar with tangled emotions. Her brown eyes scan the place until she spots Bridget chatting with some people at the back of the bar. As she looks over at the woman, she can’t help the clamor of the feelings stirring within her. Everything is such a mess internally and externally. Freya was a hurricane constantly ripping right through her stability and for a moment she just wants to feel something that’s right. Whether it’s taking a few shots or just laughing about the most trivial things, she wants an out from the tumultuous emotions.

So, before she can make sense of her crowded thoughts she strides across the space before saddling up next to her friend. The woman is leaning over with her side pressed against the countertop, laughing mindlessly at something being said. Bridget feels a lurking presence and turns to find the werewolf leering at her.

“Hey, is everything alright? I don’t have to help you dispose of a dead body do I,” she asks half-jokingly. 

The bar patrons unleash a roar of laughter and whistling at some unheard subject. Entertained clapping sounds off obnoxiously as Bridget patiently gazes at the woman. Without a word, the werewolf grabs her friend’s drink and downs the whole thing in one gulp before bringing the glass back down on the counter. The younger woman side eyes her. “Okay…well things obviously aren’t peachy.”

“Freya just tried to kiss me and I almost let her,” Keelin reveals rapidly. The words come tumbling out so fast that her friend takes a minute to process the situation. When realization hits, her mouth is slightly agape. 

“It…makes perfect sense. Just a few days ago you were floating in blissful ignorance and then suddenly you were forced to bear the biggest burden. None of it changed how you feel about her though. It doesn’t work like that,” Bridget supplies.

“But it did change. I feel a lot of things at this point. Disappointment, fury, betrayed, borderline hatred for how she works.”

The witch offers a perceptive smile to her friend. “But you’re still unapologetically in love with her.” The wolf opens and closes her mouth as she listens. “That doesn’t just go away. I mean between the two of you a child that wasn’t even meant to happen somehow became _fated_.” The older woman sighs and ponders the concept being presented to her. _What the hell is really fate anyway?_ She looks down at her hands.

“I’m starting to think that fate is what you make it…not some grand mystical scheme beyond comprehension. Freya wanted to control it and completely altered our lives in the process. I was left in the dark this whole time because I could only see what was in front of me. I wanted so badly to believe that we were living the life that was meant for us, that was fated. And so, I did while plucking flower petals and attaching labels to moments that didn’t even belong to me. Maybe I’m just as bad as her,” Keelin concludes dejectedly.  
________________________________________

**_Keelin giggles adorably as the woman of her affection gazes down at her with eyes full of devotion. The sunlight bleeds through and drowns their naked bodies in the hazy glow of their impromptu bedsheet fort. The werewolf rarely got her girlfriend to stay in bed with her so she is more than enjoying this playful side of her. Both of her wrists are pinned by either side of her head due to the beautiful blonde’s previous assault on her via tickling._ **

**_It was childish and it was fun but most of all it was just glorious to see Freya Mikaelson’s humanity._ **

**_The laughter settles down until the couple are just leering at each other intensely. The necklace dangling from the witch’s neck catches Keelin’s eye and she finds herself reaching up to hold it in her hand. She examines it before her eyes flit back up to her lover._ **

**_“Does this mean something? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear this one.”_ **

**_Freya bites her lip and finally settles down beside the woman before turning on her left side to face her. The glowing white sheet floats down without it’s human prop and the pair find themselves cozily enveloped within it. Keelin turns over onto her right side so that they’re both facing one another. Then she begins playing with the jewelry as the blonde uses the back of her hand to caress her bicep in an up and down motion._ **

**_“It’s a bit of a good luck charm. I only…wear it when I really need it,” she breathes out. “Either I’m desperate for a way out or I’m anticipating a fallout. It’s a little compass to help navigate me through it.”_ **

**_The witch looks down and the younger woman is instantly struck by the quiet honesty. She isn’t sure which meaning is currently weighing on her girlfriend and she can’t even decide on the better option. They were both so gloomy to match the melancholy Mikaelson. The question is prodding at her but she can’t bring herself to completely ruin this moment by jumpstarting an interrogation._ **

**_Before she can even attempt to she feels soft lips attach to hers and instinctively kisses back without missing a beat. By now she’s more than used to the trademark way of detouring emotional conversation. When they pull back, Freya rests her head on her hands like a pillow._ **

**_“What are you thinking about,” she inquires with genuine interest. Keelin hums for a moment as she gathers her thoughts._ **

**_“Just some happier times. Not that anything beats this of course,” she quips earning a lazy smile from the blonde. “But it’s safe to say you’ve made me feel relaxed enough to remember good things.”_ **

**_“Like,” the older woman drawls out softly._ **

**_“I don’t know…it’s…stupid but my family. Minus the sexy times obviously but just…I don’t know, some of the good feelings of belonging somewhere.”_ **

**_Freya suddenly sits up on the support of her elbow. It was a rare occasion for the werewolf to even mention her family let alone actively reexamine her past with them. Anyone could easily tell by the way she was finding it hard to collect her thoughts and words. Sun soaked green eyes gaze at her intently._ **

**_“There were very few times where I didn’t have to feel like the odd one out. That’s probably why I remember those moments so clearly,” the wolf states with a tinge of hurt. “But my grandmother used to host these huge feasts and she always made this so called ‘world famous’ apple pie. I doubt that the craze even made it out of Louisiana but…it brought so many people together, even for little old me.”_ **

**_The memories threaten to crack her strong façade so she turns over on her left side and away from the impassioned emerald eyes on her. She wills herself not to cry because firstly she doesn’t want to be a melodramatic cliché and secondly, she knows that she would break down if her past got explored any deeper from this point. A soft palm gently presses down on the curve of her shoulder and she shakes her head._ **

**_“It’s fine, I’m okay,” the werewolf tries while slightly wavering._ **

**_Her body is carefully turned back toward her girlfriend who extends an arm across her stomach while lying partly on top of her._ **

**_“Hey, you don’t have to do that. You don’t have to pretend that it doesn’t affect you. I know that your family is a difficult subject…I’m just happy that you feel safe enough to share a little with me,” the blonde proclaims softly. Keelin takes in the delicate and protective nature of the woman. It was easing her mind yet setting her body on fire if that was even possible. She swears that she’s the only person on the planet that makes the softest tone sound so passionate._ **

**_On impulse, she grabs her girlfriend’s neck and pulls her into a wistful kiss. As their pace becomes ridiculously slow, the action takes on a more sensual form and the witch begins a sultry trail down her body. A high-pitched wail sounds off and instantly breaks up the activity causing both women to sigh knowingly. Freya climbs back up and pulls the sheet from over their heads as her girlfriend shuts her eyelids._ **

**_“You’re taking care of that this time cause I’m not home. I’m on vacation, please leave a message at the beep,” Keelin affirms._ **

**_Freya rolls her eyes before slipping out of bed to tug a tee shirt over her head. “Fortunately for you I happen to adore my precious daughter,” she states. “Mhm, run along,” the younger woman retorts with a playful wave of her hand. “Just come right back, Miss Mikaelson.” The blonde grins in amusement as she rises from the mattress to leave. She walks toward the threshold while brown eyes watch her._ **

**_“I love you, mama.”_ **

**_“I love you too.”_**  
________________________________________

“Hey, no one wants to see any potential bad thing within their relationship. Sometimes it’s even hard to. You shouldn’t punish yourself for not looking in too deeply for signs that may or may not have been there,” Bridget reclaims. Keelin tilts her head with those sad puppy eyes. “Seriously, you’re being too hard on yourself. You’re going back and overanalyzing things just to make yourself feel worse. Let’s just try to focus on the now. How does that sound?”

The wolf bites her lip in thought before finally nodding. “I’m probably killing you with all this supernatural drama, aren’t I?” Her friend smirks in amusement.

“Little bit. But I get it and it’s fine. I’m here for you whenever you need me and that includes talking about girl problems. I’d just like to steer clear of the overabundance of female energy next time.”

“Fair enough. Deal,” Keelin accepts with understanding.

They smile at each other until a phone alarms them. Keelin digs into her pocket and fishes out the device before pressing it to her ear. “Hello?” Bridget watches with folded arms and a slight tilt of her head. The other woman’s face begins to fall and she furrows her own eyebrows at the occurrence. “Okay, thank you.” The werewolf locks her phone screen before gazing up at her friend who steps off her stool and moves closer with concern.

“Keelin, what’s wrong?”

“We need to get to the hospital. It’s Mikaela.”  
________________________________________

Keelin and Bridget file into the hospital quickly to find Greg standing at his post with a clipboard in hand.

“What happened,” both women question immediately in unison.

He looks between them before answering. “Mikaela’s teacher found her heading straight for traffic while in what she deemed a trance-like state. She said that she has never behaved that way and that the whole situation was bizarre. I suspected a case of a curious little cat but she seems to think that you should get some tests done on her,” he explains.

“So, from your standpoint she’s okay?”

“Behaving just like an adorable little girl,” he states with a nod.

Just then Freya strides down the hallway toward them and stops right in front of Keelin. “I got your message. Sorry I didn’t pick up but is she okay,” she inquires with worried eyes. The werewolf nods in affirmation. “Yeah, you can go see her,” she replies. The blonde nods and the doctor points her in the right direction before she’s walking off. 

Keelin turns back to look at Greg and notices the strange air within their little circle. She looks between her two suddenly awkward friends with an arched eyebrow. “Um, do you guys know each other,” she asks. “Yes,” they say in unison. “It’s a small town,” Greg quickly adds. Keelin’s curiosity peaks then. “Okay…did you guys date or something?”

“No,” Bridget chimes first.

“No. Never.” 

The witch glares at the doctor before explaining their situation. “I dated his brother. And he kissed me one time but we don’t speak about that…at least not until now.” Keelin grins widely in amusement. “Ooh, the plot thickens,” she teases lightly. “That’s about as thick as it gets, unfortunately for Greg,” Bridget throws. The werewolf smiles at her friend as Greg defends himself hopelessly.

“Hey, take that back. I was getting major vibes from you,” he exclaims. His plead goes ignored and he examines the pair. A thick eyebrow raises in thought. “So, Bridget,” he drawls out. The question is left to the wind as the younger woman steps in knowingly.

“Oh, don’t even go there. Nope. We’re kinda like family at this point. As in not gonna happen,” Bridget confirms.

“Yeah, and you probably don’t wanna insinuate such things with my baby mama lurking around. Wouldn’t be a good first meeting for you,” Keelin adds as a matter of fact.

Greg looks at Keelin with a smirk. “Noted. But good to know that old witchy witch here doesn’t fall madly in love with every werewolf she sees,” he jokes. “I was just going to say that,” the smaller woman retorts with a playful gasp. The two werewolves high five childishly as their friend eyes them incredulously.

“I hate the both of you,” the unamused woman states before walking off.

All three of them make their way to Mikaela who appears to be in regular condition. Freya is holding her in her arms while she bounces excitedly. There’s not one frown in the room.

“She looks very happy for some reason,” Keelin states with a smirk. The blonde peers over at her and nods. “She keeps asking me about ponies,” she comments. Everyone is delighted by the joyful child but still uncertain about what to make of the whole situation. Freya speaks up first. “I know that we’ve already talked about this but I think that now more than ever she should fully be under our care.” 

Bridget and Greg both turn to Keelin who gazes at her daughter for a moment. Finally, she offers a nod to her partner without argument. The other mother returns the small gesture before looking back down. “Ponies,” Mikaela abruptly exclaims. The adults grin and chuckle at the toddler. Feeling the desire to lighten the mood further, Greg pipes up with an invitation. 

“Everything seems to check out here. But in the meantime, I happen to have the perfect solution for the pony fever.”  
________________________________________

Keelin throws out the rest of her leftover cure into a safe disposable bag. She pauses for a moment to look at some of the items on the table and sighs. A knock on the doorframe brings her out of her deep thoughts and she peers up to see Bridget observing her.

“You look busy. Need any help?”

“Bridget…”

The younger woman waves her off and she tilts her head dismally. 

“Don’t look so bleak. You don’t have to tell me about it. We can just clean up with peace and quiet,” the witch assures. 

After a few moments the werewolf indicates agreement without any words and her friend begins the task of gathering the abandoned supplies.  
________________________________________

Concurrently, Mikaela looks in awe at the horse in front of her. His coat is an earthy brown tone and he has a white stripe between his eyes. The ranch hand shows her how to gently pet the creature and she follows along intently. Freya presents a small smile at the scene and crosses her arms as Greg saddles up next to her.

“Both of you are welcome to visit anytime. I’ll see to it that the groundskeeper knows that you have a personal invitation,” he proffers.

Green eyes fall on him for a moment in surprise. The witch was more than sure that he’d be another person in Keelin’s corner, so it’s strange to be receiving an unearned extension of kindness. Perhaps he isn’t quite aware of the monster she is. Or maybe he didn’t care all that much to judge. Either way she would never turn down an opportunity for her daughter to enjoy the good parts that life had to offer and to live happily. So, she accepts the offer with a nod and hugs her arms closer.

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”


	13. MALRAUX PART I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin decides to show Mikaela her Malraux history while wrestling with her own demons and the state of her engagement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh. This is heavy as notified before. I knew it was long because of how much it covers but I literally just had to go ahead and split it up when I was editing cause my god. Part II will be uploaded later on sometime maybe. Lots of flashbacks, lots of fighting (present and past). It jumps back and forth on a 13 Reasons Why type of level tbh but I kept the flashbacks in chronological order. It's the last grand instance of Keelin's personal struggles since we move on to lifting the curse and the discovery/resolution of why/how Keelin has been personally attacked. 
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) X Ambassadors - Unsteady: Keelin and Freya argue.
> 
> 2) MISSIO - Animal: FLASHBACK of Hayes executing his assistant.
> 
> 3) SYML - The War: FLASHBACK of Hayes losing his temper in front of his family.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

**_Patty toys with the ring on her finger as she watches over her three slumbering children. A pair of strong arms wrap around her and a hand settles on her pregnant belly. She melts into the warm embrace._ **

**_“Now what are ya doin’ up,” a deep voice inquires. “Can’t sleep again dear?”_ **

**_The young woman quietly nods before closing her eyes and leaning further into the man. He gently spins her around to face him in the dim light. “Come here to me. You know that you’re making a good decision for our little ones.” Patty watches as the Irishman gazes down lovingly at their unborn child for a moment. “Your family needs ya. And luckily for me they’ve accepted a lowly outsider,” he quips._ **

**_“This is my family and I’ve been so happy. They’ve been so happy. I don’t want to suddenly throw them into a whole new world,” she states. Her husband grins at her and she tilts her head at the goofy man. “I’m nearly torn up inside about this and you’re just batting your long eyelashes at me with that lopsided grin,” she huffs. The man chuckles._ **

**_“Oh, I’m just confused here, love. You’re such a proud woman, you’re proud of where ya come from yet you don’t want your little werewolves to know who they really are.”_ **

**_Patty shakes her head incredulously. “Well, I’m glad you’re finding amusement in this but I’m not hiding who they are,” she remarks._ **

**_“Of course,” the man retorts._ **

**_“I just want them to have a choice. I love my heritage but it’s not like I ever had a choice to decide what I wanted to be…not until I met you,” she genuinely states. The man smiles slyly at his beautiful wife. “Well, they have to know the truth before making a choice. They are a part of a strong bloodline and they have a right to know that. Yeah?” He lowers his eyes at her in question. Her slight stubbornness finally gives way._ **

**_“Yes,” she answers to the man’s delight._ **

**_“So, that’s settled then. Now. Let’s go chat about popping out another one.”_ **

**_“Irv…”_ **

**_“I know, I know. We’ve gotta let this little lad come first. But until then let a man dream.”_ **

**_“Alright, Mr. Murphy.”_ **

**_The man lowers his head to his wife’s belly comically. “Hey, you’re winding up my missus. It’s all down to you, sonny.”_ **

**_Patty shakes her head in amusement before allowing her widely grinning husband to whisk her away to their bedroom._**  
________________________________________

Keelin stares down at an old jewelry box in her hands while Freya idles at the doorway. Light eyes examine the scene cautiously. The witch has never seen the case before this moment. Judging by that detail and the fact that the woman appears so indecisive about the item, she deducts that it’s most likely of importance. Her fist lightly knocks on the doorframe causing the werewolf to whip around to face her.

“I’ve never seen that before,” she states softly. 

She’s unsure about what reaction she’ll get because honestly her fiancée was hot and cold these days. The woman turns back around to look at the wooden box once more with a deep sigh. To her surprise she provides a calm response.

“Well, to be honest I’ve barely looked at it for the past few years. It belonged to my grandmother. She kept memories and keepsakes in it.”

Freya instantly perks up at the information and gingerly steps foot into the bedroom. Upon entering she maintains a respectful amount of space between them. The werewolf slowly spins around to face her and takes the initiative to answer the woman’s unspoken inquiry. “I’m about to share it with Mikaela. I will _never_ be ready for this but I know that it’s important for her. She deserves to know about her history and who she is. I mean the chances of her remaining untriggered are slim at this point. Only one person has ever done it in my family and I don’t want her to struggle with her identity…like me,” she supplies while looking down.

The blonde tilts her head at the woman sadly and remains attentive. Even within their strained relationship, Keelin can feel her silent support and lifts her head before continuing. “Her blood is strong and we’ll need it to face our enemies. She’s the last of my line whether I like it or not.” She finishes with downcast eyes and the taller woman nods with a smile.

“This is what’s best for her. Mikaela should be able to embrace her _entire_ heritage. I know that you’re hesitant because of all the bad but…I know that there’s some good there as well,” she encourages.

Keelin proposes a sad but present smile at her partner and walks past her to leave the quiet room. Freya looks down briefly before following her to the family room to see their daughter. The blonde stands tall above the toddler who’s peering up at her from her spot right next to the edge of the baby gate. The younger woman climbs over the structure easily and beckons the child over.

“Come here, Roo Roo.” 

The mother sits down and crosses her legs while waiting for her baby. Mikaela quickly obliges by strolling over and plopping down to mirror her mother’s position in front of her. Freya smiles softly at the scene as Keelin holds up the box between them. “You see this?” 

Mikaela nods before pointing a tiny finger at the item. “See this,” she repeats back. The brunette smiles sadly with a short nod. 

“Yeah,” she affirms. “You know how me and mommy have _you_ to live with us so that we’re all together? And you know how you have all these people that love you like uncle Klaus and auntie Bex…uncle Koko and uncle shoes?”

Freya lightly chuckles to herself at the last two nicknames of her younger brothers. For some reason her daughter had taken to calling Kol the oddly cute name even though he already had the easiest one to pronounce. The way the child even said it was full of life with a certain added bounce. It sounded like (kuh-ko) with an eager pace. As for the state of Elijah’s name, upon meeting the man for the first time she had enthusiastically noted his shiny pair of shoes. While the man was more than prepared to spoil the adorable little hybrid to make up for lost time, he was perplexed by the obsession with his sharp attire. She’d point and exclaim “shoes!” every time until he had given up in acceptance of the nickname. Both Keelin and Freya had reminded the child of the vampire’s true name but it fell on deaf ears. Elijah of course didn’t mind too much in the end. He chalked it up to his impeccable dress and classic charm.

Presently, Mikaela blinks at her mother but lights up at the mention of her beloved family. A smile spreads across Keelin’s face as she nods. 

“And of course, aunt Hayley and your cousin Hope,” she finishes. The toddler beams, showing all of her baby teeth. “Hope,” she drawls cutely.

Keelin grins and Freya crosses her arms to her chest while displaying a matching one from her place feet away. The werewolf suddenly gazes down at the box in her hands before looking at her daughter again. She bites her lip nervously. “They are your family, parts of you. They’re where your mama comes from,” she explains.

Hazel eyes gleam at her. “Mama,” the child inquires. “Mhm,” Keelin utters in confirmation. Like clockwork she peers up over to the blonde standing nearby. Freya watches intently and softens her own gaze at the woman. 

“But you never got to know where I come from, the other parts of you. It’s just as important and I want you to know them too.”

“Know them too,” the toddler poses like a question. Keelin nods again. 

“Yup. They’re also your family.” 

She looks back up to Freya who slightly tilts her head in question and fixes her mouth as if she wants to say something. Keelin responds with a short nod that’s barely there and the blonde slowly climbs over the gate to settle down next to them. Both of the Mikaelsons watch as the werewolf carefully opens the box. An old wedding ring is retrieved first and Keelin holds it between her fingers. Freya studies it curiously.

“This tiny, little thing is the heart of my family. A long time ago, a beautiful and strong young woman met a man who was unlike anyone she’d ever laid eyes on. They fell in love instantly, like the princesses and princes in your movies,” Keelin explains.

Mikaela suddenly boils with understanding. “Pwincess, pwincess,” she exclaims.

“Yeah, she was a unique princess that was unlike anyone that the man had ever met. She was…something called a werewolf…”

Hazel eyes gaze at her intently. “Wahwolf,” the toddler mimics. Keelin hesitates before looking to Freya who gives her a supportive nod. “Yeah. She was a strong and fearless creature.” She reaches into the box and pulls out a totem. The necklace has a carved wolf’s head with an inserted stone as the pendent. “This,” the brunette states while dangling the totem. “Is a reminder of that strength.” The child examines the necklace as she bursts with realization. “Beast,” she exclaims. Keelin sighs knowingly and Freya furrows her eyebrows. “She thinks it’s the Beast from Beauty and the Beast,” the younger woman informs to her partner.

Freya raises her chin in recognition and her daughter reaches out for the necklace eagerly. “Mine,” she professes. Both mothers chuckle a bit. “Well, she appears to be fond of this character,” the blonde cites. The other woman wastes no time slipping the item over her daughter’s head and around her little neck. The tiny girl would obviously have to grow into it. 

“Yeah. Other than ‘Sleeping Beauty’ it’s the only movie where the princess fades into the background for her. Maybe it’s his story that strikes a chord,” Keelin digs. The witch throws a dubious look at the woman who focuses back on the baby. “So, they started their own family of little ones just like you. All of them were special. They were happy and loved just like you are.”

Keelin beams at the bundle of light currently bouncing in her spot on the floor and Freya watches with her calming thoughts. There’s something so vibrant in the way that the wolf is sharing such precious memories. And their baby girl is just as amazed. She watches as the brunette reveals a collection of old photographs. Two pairs of eyes scan over each one as the woman spreads them across the carpeted floor.

There’s one of a green-eyed man with wavy dark brown hair. His dimpled smile is kind and the crinkles around his eyes are endearing.

In the next one, that same man has his arms wrapped tightly around a woman that favors Keelin and Freya identifies her as the great matriarch, Patty Malraux.

Another one is a picture of three small children standing side by side with swimwear on. They are placed from tallest to shortest: a girl with long sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes with her hands on her hips, a slightly shorter boy with dark wavy hair and dark eyes doing a muscleman pose, and finally a little boy with light brown curly hair and light brown eyes with a shy presence.

“That’s my aunt Josephine and uncles, Dunne and Brennan,” the werewolf comments. Freya gazes up at her with a hint of a smile. “Believe it or not this picture tells you all you need to know about them. Even well into their adulthood.” 

“Mikaela kinda reminds me of your aunt. She has her eyes,” the witch states. 

Her partner smiles in agreement before returning to the task at hand. A few more pictures of the family are shuffled out until a plethora of photos starring a single little boy come into the fold. The blonde eyes them inquisitively before looking up to the younger woman. “Well, he’s certainly a little charmer isn’t he,” she remarks sarcastically.

“Also made this impression well into his adulthood. But he was still my dad,” Keelin retorts. 

Green eyes brighten with sudden awareness. “This is your father,” she asks in awe. With the little bit she knew of the man, she of course had no face to put the lore to. Something inside of her is kindling a warm flame at how intimate this all feels. It’s even better than their pillow talks. 

Keelin ducks her head while landing a finger on one of the snapshots. The dark eyed, curly haired child has his arms folded with a jaded look upon his face.

“Mhm. According to grandma he was always a difficult guy with a temperament. He didn’t talk much and that only became more normalized after my grandfather’s death. They were all really young when it happened. My grandma said that it was like a shockwave to them…but it had hit him the hardest. He was the baby,” she claims. 

A sympathetic look spreads across the older woman’s face as she shakes her head. “So, you never got to meet him,” she inquires. “Nope,” the werewolf responds simply. “My father and his siblings never really talked about him all that much. I only ever had my grandmother’s stories.”

“I’m sorry that you don’t know more about your grandfather…but it seems like they shared love in its truest form,” Freya offers. Keelin gazes at the woman before nodding. 

“Yeah. My grandma was still so in love with him even after being apart. You could feel it in the way she spoke about him. He was kindhearted, stubborn, but most of all he loved his family with everything he had. When I was little I used to wish I could somehow meet him. I made the mistake of letting my dad know that and quickly found out that it was a sore spot for him. Grandma said that it was an albatross that stayed with him ever since,” she reveals.

The couple glance at each other silently as their daughter looks at the photographic evidence of her newfound family.  
________________________________________

**_Patty is humming to herself as she dries another plate at the kitchen sink. Before she can even put it safely in its rightful place her ears alert her to distant voices. She narrows her eyes straight ahead and through the window she can see her husband being escorted toward their home. He’s leaning against a man weakly while two other men with rifles trail behind them. On pure instinct, Patty drops the dishtowel and hurries out the back door to meet the men._ **

**_As she approaches her husband her eyes widen in horror. His shirt is drenched in blood and his skin is nearly drained of color making his usual fair complexion a ghostly shade.  
The woman places a shaky hand upon his cheek._ **

**_“What happened,” she cries._ **

**_The man holding her husband upright looks at her with a regretful expression._ **

**_“He found himself on the unfortunate end of the hunt after splitting from us. We found him like this,” the man supplies. Patty tilts her head with dismay. “A deer can’t stab a man in the chest.”_ **

**_The hunter suddenly goes quiet and the weary woman directs him to follow her to the house. She hears a familiar whistle and flits her eyes over to her husband. The man is smiling at her through the pain. “Don’t be mad at me love,” the wounded man says. Patty shakes her head furiously with knowing eyes. “I’m a stubborn man ya know.”_ **

**_“And proud. I told you not to get involved with it. You’re messing with things you have no clear understanding of,” the wife scolds._ **

**_The group enters the home and the hunter gently lays Irv down on the sofa. The Irishman grunts in pain but relaxes to gaze up at his hovering spouse._ **

**_“If it has to do with my family then I’m already involved I’m afraid. Don’t make a row of it. I clearly understand that these demons are a threat to you and no one hurts my wife as long as I’m living, no one. Your father said…”_ **

**_“No,” the woman interrupts. Patty drops down beside the determined man before placing her hand on the bloody hand pressed to his own chest. “My father shouldn’t have even involved you. Irvin, you’re human. Yes, you’re my husband and I know you want to protect our family but you’re not strong enough for this. This is a whole different world apart from the one you know,” she asserts with serious eyes. Irv looks on with disappointment._ **

**_“I may not be a mighty werewolf with esteemed blood but I am still a man that has seen a world capable of cruel things. It doesn’t matter if it’s vampires and werewolves, cowboys and Indians, the iron fist and the oppressed. Bloodshed is bloodshed either way. You can’t pluck me out of the trouble with my favorite cup of tea. This is a war,” Irvin proclaims._ **

**_He intakes a sharp breath as he sinks further into the couch. Patty examines his suddenly fragile state. The man looks so weak and exhausted. She’s so angry at him for attempting to hunt vampires in her honor. It was such a foolish thing for him to do. Why didn’t he think about his own life? Why didn’t he think of their children and how they would feel about losing their beloved papa to their sworn enemies. But at the same time, she feels her heart beat for him so wildly. Her love for him would never be tamed. She knows that the prideful Irishman was thinking of her and their four children every day. It was the very reason for his selfless albeit selfish decisions. He would never give up his family to anyone or anything._ **

**_Irvin breathes out heavily and Patty tilts her head in concern. “I, uh…I’m feeling awfully beat,” the man states with drooping eyelids._ **

**_A shock of adrenaline shoots through the woman beside him as the dark scenario takes hold of her mind. “Irvin,” she says firmly. “You have to stay awake. Okay, honey?”_ **

**_“Mhm. Sure thing sweets,” he lightly teases._ **

**_Patty gazes at him with the utmost care. Within a few seconds the doctor enters the room and sits his bag down. “I’ve been brought up to speed. We need to stop the bleeding. If you could step aside please,” the doctor sounds off. The woman nods wordlessly and backs away, still on her knees. She comes to rest back onto her legs while observing the scene. Her husband shakes his head violently at the motion._ **

**_“No, I want my wife beside me.”_ **

**_“If you want her beside you for a while longer then I have to tend to your wound. We haven’t even checked the damage yet,” the doctor claims._ **

**_“Well, don’t be an arse about it sonny,” Irv retorts. Patty shakes her head at her husband. “You need to calm down before you work yourself up alright,” she pleads._ **

**_Sure, she was the strong, feisty werewolf but the man has proven time and again that he could be the ill-tempered one within the relationship. The medical professional opens his patient’s button-down shirt to examine the full extent of the wound. He instantly sees through the pool of blood that the man has sustained a stab wound through the heart. How the stubborn man was still so alert and talking is beyond him but he figures that the weapon must’ve just almost missed the organ but ultimately punctured a portion of it. Also, the adrenaline was lending a hand. The blood is certainly accumulating either way._ **

**_“I need you to remain still Mr. Murphy,” he says in a serious tone._ **

**_He reaches over to grab a cloth allowing Patty a full view of the bloody scene. A gasp escapes her and both hands fly to her mouth. Irv looks over at her sideways with an apologetic face. “I’m so sorry baby,” he breathes out. Patty rocks her head so much she feels dizzy. She tries to speak but he cuts her off knowingly. “I know I’m just a bastard.”_ **

**_The doctor applies pressure on the wound and the man cringes. “He’s going to need surgery,” the professional announces. Patty tilts her head in disbelief. “There’s not a proper hospital for miles,” she states while willing herself to be strong. The doctor sighs knowingly. “Although he’s as stable as he can be for now, it’s a big risk to move him.”_ **

**_Irvin closes his eyes and shakes his head before completely disregarding the man tending to him. “Baby,” he calls. The woman scoots back over to him but the doctor keeps her at a bit of a distance. The wounded man looks up at him with irritation._ **

**_“Mind making room for my missus eh?”_ **

**_“It’s okay. Don’t turn this into an Irish pub brawl,” his wife chides lightheartedly._ **

**_His furrowed eyebrows suddenly relax as he can’t help but chuckle at the woman’s joke. Patty can’t stop the smile she poses at the sound of his voice. However, the laughter soon dies down into coughing and she’s instantly terrified all over again. Instinctively, she moves in closer. “Irvin,” she calls. Her husband continues to cough and just like that she’s fighting to get past the doctor. The Irishman is easing back into his sleepy state but tries to challenge it. Patty gently cradles his neck with tears already forming._ **

**_“You have to stay with me. I told you that you can’t go to sleep. Fight it,” she demands._ **

**_He peers up at her through slits and grabs her cheek with a bloodied hand. A lazy smirk graces his dry lips. “I’m right here. I’m not goin’ anywhere without ya,” he declares. Patty sighs heavily while her body shakes. She shuts her eyes tightly for a moment._ **

**_“Get the truck,” she orders. We have to try if it’s his only chance.” The hunter with blood on his shirt steps forward. “Patricia, are you…” The emotional wife cuts him off sharply. “Get the damn truck,” she exclaims. Without another word, two of the hunters exit the front door leaving the other behind awkwardly. The men have had the experience of seeing the animalistic side of the Malraux wolf and it was far from pretty. Patty lowers her head in frustration._ **

**_“Hey,” Irvin whispers. It’s so light that it’s barely audible. “Hey, hey, hey now,” he sings._ **

**_The woman half cries half chuckles at the emergence of her husband’s childish pop song. Life is literally escaping him yet he seems to find it to be the most suitable time to annoy her with the tune she can never get away from. Brown eyes stare into nearly hidden green ones. He smirks at her until it begins to slowly fade away._ **

**_“Irvin,” she says before shaking him awake. “Listen to me, you have to hold on okay? Just hold on for a bit honey. I need to hear that song. I need Sunday cleaning bothered with that stupid song.”_ **

**_The desperate affirmations are soon interrupted by their daughter and son running into the room. “Mom,” the boy whines. “Josey won’t give me my football back!” His sibling is trailing close behind him. “Don’t be a crybaby,” the older girl says. She abruptly stops at the scene as a gasp slips from her lips. “Daddy, what’s wrong with daddy,” she cries out. The boy begins crying too and the lone hunter holds them back as they try to approach their parents. “Papa!”_ **

**_“Keep them out of here,” Patty orders painfully._ **

**_The man promptly removes them from the room just as their youngest son enters. He watches with an unreadable expression and Patty looks behind knowingly. “Go with your sister, Hayes.” The young boy remains silent but raises his chin at her. He had inherited his father’s stubborn nature. The woman turns back to her husband as his lifeless hand drops from her face. She shudders and releases a tortured sob. The other two hunters race back in to retrieve their friends._ **

**_“Hurry,” one of them rushes._ **

**_They, along with the doctor, lift the dying man and take his body outside. Patty wipes her nose with her sleeve and follows closely behind the men leaving her frowning son alone. Hayes just stands there while peering over at the blood-soaked sofa. Finally, he steps over to it and picks up the evidence of his father’s murder._**  
________________________________________

Obviously, Freya had never been fortunate enough to hear the story of Keelin’s grandparents. Anything that resulted in the woman would always hold her interest and to now know that they shared a great love was inspiring. It’s making her ponder her own relationship with the werewolf and allowing her imagination to soar with the possibilities of them being the cornerstone of a family in the future. Though she knows her own actions has tainted that chance, it still comforts her to dream about it. 

Keelin quickly looks away from their intense exchange and sifts through more pictures. Her hands stall at a photo of a man gazing lovingly at a beautiful pregnant woman. Green eyes zone in on the keepsake as Freya tilts her head in interest. She bites her lip in thought.

“Are those your parents,” she inquires on a hunch.

The question garners the werewolf’s attention and she internally curses the blonde’s perceptiveness. Her head lowers toward the floor and after a few moments she nods in response. The witch feels the urge to reach out to her but isn’t sure if it’s warranted. She knows that it’s already such a huge deal for the woman to be doing this and the last thing she wants to do is ruin it. Her love was doing so well with sharing so much and it made her proud to be a part of. Keelin sighs with closed eyes before lifting up her head.

“Hey, Roo Roo. Wanna see my mommy and daddy,” she suddenly asks.

The mother opens up her arms and the toddler climbs to her feet to meet her embrace. Then she turns the child around to sit down into her lap and picks up the polaroid. Her arms wind around her daughter to hold the picture out in front of them and both pairs of eyes study it. Keelin points her finger at the woman in the photograph.

“That’s my mommy right there,” she states. “Mommy,” Mikaela drawls before placing her own tiny digit on it. The werewolf nods with a grin. Her pointer finger slides over to the man soon after. “And that’s my daddy. Together they had me just like me and mama have you,” she explains. She releases the item and the child holds it in her little hand while observing it. Freya watches as the woman peeks over their daughter’s shoulder with a small smile.

Keelin feels the curious eyes on her and finally peers up at the woman.

“I’m finding it hard to come up with some grand love story for this one. I don’t even know how they met and sometimes I wondered how they even worked. They were both so pushy and my dad had the whole wayfaring stranger vibe going for him. Late nights, early mornings. Secret trips and mysterious work. Sometimes he was more married to those things than my mother. As kids of course we adored him though.”

“If it makes you feel any better my own mother lied about my _death_ and later on passed my brother off as anything _but_ a product of a salacious affair. All in the name of keeping my father through her lies.”

The younger woman takes in the slightly bitter tone of the witch before kissing her daughter’s head.

“Well, it’s no wonder why we’re so screwed up then right? Here’s to hoping that we don’t pass _her_ the torch,” she states while peering down at the baby. Freya tilts her head dolefully at the remark. “We’re different. We want her to be more, to have more. We’d give it all for her to be who she’s meant to be and to be happy,” the witch retorts before a beat of hesitation. “We have so much love and all of it to give to her.”

“You don’t think that our parents felt like they were doing the exact same thing at some point? That they had enough love to sustain their marriage? It’s like the more that we tell ourselves that, the further away from the truth we get.” The blonde looks down at her lap and the other woman looks away before sighing. “Do you think that it was always that way with them,” Keelin questions.

Freya takes a few moments to ponder this. “I know that there was a time when my father loved my mother,” she offers. The wolf glances over at her. “And,” she pushes. Her partner shrugs when she comes up empty. “ _And_ I’ve never trusted my mother’s definition of love or devotion.” Keelin briefly lowers her eyes.

“Maybe the best intentions are the worst failures.”  
________________________________________

**_Hayes toys with the prized knife in his hand as his two friends wrestle each other aggressively._ **

**_Ever since avenging his late father he has lost his lust for life. He was always a particularly jaded person, even before the murder that shook his family. The only good thing, if you could even call it good, that came of his father’s untimely death was the sudden bloodlust that fueled him into living._ **

**_He made a vow to find the monster responsible for taking his father away and allow him to meet the same fate. It took several years but eventually he was able to track the cold-blooded killer down. There was no game to be played and he had not hesitated to drive the vervain sealed dagger through his enemy’s heart. Just as the vampire had turned his father’s knife onto the unsuspecting man, the same weapon of choice was used against him in the end._ **

**_The completion of his mission only brought him three things though: brief satisfaction, a triggered gene, and a once more purposeless life. His mother felt too shocked to comment on the matter but his siblings had esteemed him very highly upon learning of his success._ **

**_These days he just seems to float on by while watching the world leave him behind. But also, he sometimes finds himself watching the beautiful loner, Kelly Monreaux._ **

**_Kelly walks down the road with her nose in a book and appears to be completely unbothered by anything else. The youngest Murphy can’t help but to perk up at her presence. He never allows himself to get too close, only admiring her from afar. The feelings within him are something he has yet to make sense of. They are things that he has never felt towards anyone else in his young life. It was a certain magnetic pull to the teen girl and deep down he knew that she felt it too. He had caught her own leering a few times before._ **

**_There isn’t much that he actually knows about her though. They’ve only ever held a few conversations between them and most of the facts he knows about the beautiful girl are things that he gathered from other sources._ **

**_The enchanting Kelly Monreaux is seventeen, smart, witty, and studious. She resides a few streets over with her strict aunt. Her parents are deceased and she doesn’t belong to any formal pack but she seems to like it that way given her more introverted nature. She was quick to let anyone know that the last fact didn’t make her any less protective of herself. The werewolf spoke up when she wanted to, fought when it was necessary, and sought out company only when it was in her best interest. She was sure of herself and who she was. It all intrigued him more._ **

**_Without a word he suddenly hurries over to the girl. If he was going to become a part of her world, he first had to orbit it. Eventually he catches up to the younger teen and adjusts his jogging pace to her strolling._ **

**_“Hey,” he greets._ **

**_Kelly keeps her eyes on the book in her hands but acknowledges him anyway._ **

**_“Hey.”_ **

**_Hayes lightly clears his throat. “So…whatcha reading?”_ **

**_“Just some existentialist philosophy,” she chimes accordingly. The slightly older werewolf raises an eyebrow as they continue to walk along the road. “Are you really that jaded,” he asks. The inquiry is enough to finally gain the attention of the girl and he suddenly feels vulnerable under her piercing gaze._ **

**_“Are you really that desperate for conversation,” she throws back with an arched eyebrow. The older boy shrugs and attempts to speak before she interrupts him. “Or do you really think that this is going to go somewhere,” she questions. She motions between them with her book. “I’m not a bounce house of mindless dialogue and run times in your car so you might as well not waste your time.”_ **

**_Hayes is taken aback by the firing off of words that hit him like bullets. But soon a smirk plays on his lips knowing that none of the insinuations fit him and the girl is actually projecting her own expectations of people onto him._ **

**_“I’m afraid that your obvious criteria doesn’t apply to me.”_ **

**_“Hm, really? I seem to recall you barking up the ‘Theresa Campbell’ tree not too long ago. The overdone laughing and complimenting was like witnessing torture. I’m offended that you think you can work the same moves on me. Just like a werewolf with a Zeus complex,” she huffs out._ **

**_“Well, I also recall her coming over to me. I don’t even like the girl that much. She’s too typical with not much to say,” Hayes states. Kelly tries to hold back a smile at the obvious compliment but maintains her poker face. “Also…I don’t have a car. It’s my brother’s, Dunne. I’ve never even been to the drive-in so I wouldn’t know too much about run times in my car.” He finishes his defense with a smile and the girl allows her own to grace his presence. She abruptly stops and the older wolf jolts himself back into place._ **

**_“So, if I have you all wrong…what exactly do you want Hayes Murphy,” she questions playfully with a tinge of skepticism. He steps closer to her and she looks up at him with an eyebrow raised._ **

**_“I would like to get to know you better,” he answers genuinely._ **

**_Kelly bites her lip at the sincerity he’s displaying. Although his initiative is very out of character she finds herself drawn to this more open side of him. She wasn’t going to deny her underlying attraction to him. So, why not let him entertain her at the very least?_ **

**_“I suppose…but first you have to tell me something crazy,” she declares._ **

**_Hayes eyes her with confused features and she beams at him. Like anything,” he questions. She nods in affirmation. “Mhm. It’s how I gauge a person when I first meet them…for real,” she explains with a shrug. “Unless of course you don’t actually want me to know you.” He obliges her with a smirk._ **

**_“Well, what if I was to say that I’m going to marry you one day?” Kelly furrows her eyebrows and scoffs incredulously._ **

**_“Then I would say that you’re really off your rocker sir. And that you’re too forward and way too cocky. And that most high school relationships fail to transition into adulthood anyway.” With that she begins walking again and he follows along beside her with a grin. “So, all I got from that is…I know what I want…I’m very confident…and you’re not opposed to being married to me for at least a year,” he remarks. Kelly shakes her head with a smile._ **

**_“Just wait until you find out what I got from your answer,” she retorts._**  
________________________________________

While sharing her family background had gotten off to a decent start, the werewolf found herself needing a bit of a breather. So, she created the proper excuse of needing to use the bathroom and has been looking at her own reflection ever since. 

It was becoming all too surreal for her. 

Drudging up her past was not something she’d think about doing in a million years. But all that had changed because of one special little girl. She knew that it was the right thing to do and she’s relieved that her daughter is displaying a genuine interest in the new development of her heritage. 

But part of her still feels like maybe it’s not the best choice to be doing so. At least not so early on. There was a lot for the hybrid to understand and she’d hate to put so much onto her while she’s so young. 

One thing she could never be is her father. Yes, he was a protector and yes, he feared losing the ones he loved. However, the man could never reconcile just how much he had affected her by bestowing his way of life and values onto her before she even had a choice to know anything else.  
________________________________________

**_“Hand her over, it’s time for her to feed.”_ **

**_Hayes peers up at his wife as she stands over him. He’s seated in a chair while cradling his brand-new baby girl. The woman’s playful request is met with a proud grin._ **

**_“I just want her to know that daddy’s always here.”_ **

**_Kelly smiles and their firstborn child comes peeking around her mother. “Can I hold her,” the child asks with curious eyes. Both parents gaze at her. “She has to eat first cause she’s very hungry. All the fussing daddy does has worked up her appetite,” her mother states._ **

**_“Come here baby,” her father beckons._ **

**_Little Kennedy walks over to stand on the other side of the chair and Hayes places a loving kiss on her head. “You see your little sister?” The little girl nods accordingly and her father grins at her. “She’s going to grow up to be very strong and important just like you. But until then you have to protect her okay? No matter what you have to look out for her. You’re the oldest and she will always be your baby sister,” he declares._ **

**_Kennedy remains silent but looks into her father’s eyes. The man tilts his head at her. “Do you understand this Kennedy?” She nods again._ **

**_“I have to protect Keelin so she can grow up and get big and strong just like me,” the tiny voice sounds._ **

**_The proud father nods with a bright beam and kisses her head once more. A throat suddenly clears and Hayes meets his wife’s incredulous gaze. “A little too early to be pushing the prized Malraux standards on them, isn’t it?”_ **

**_“It’s already in their veins, it’s never too early to know about who you are and where you come from,” he rebuffs._ **

**_“And they will know. I’m just as proud about them being fortunate to come from a rich history but Hayes, we’re dealing with a six-year-old and a newborn. They won’t be off battling vampires and ruling colonies anytime soon. Let them stand on their own before you go pushing your high noon traditions on them.”_ **

**_Hayes disregards the comment and leans down to kiss his youngest child sweetly._ **

**_“My bloodline will remain strong. There’s no other way of being. It’s their birthright,” he proclaims. Kelly watches her husband intently as the man and their oldest daughter observes the now sleeping bundle below them. The newborn rests a balled up first against her tiny head._ **

**_“You hold my legacy, Keelin. Keep it tucked safely,” he whispers._**  
________________________________________

Keelin exits the bathroom and strolls down the hallway. As she passes the master suite she notices a certain blonde inside looking through her cabinet. Before she can properly filter herself, she finds the words tumbling out of her mouth, highlighting her loudest thought.

“Learning the art of hiding the evidence,” she questions sarcastically.

Freya immediately turns toward the woman and opens her mouth before closing it just as quick. Keelin closes her eyes for a moment and then steps past the threshold. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.” The blonde looks down as the thoughts settle over her.

“You don’t trust me anymore and I haven’t exactly given you reason to,” she states before looking up. “But I’m no longer hiding anything. I won’t keep anything like that away from you again.”

“I thought we talked about the promises and affirmations, Freya. Don’t attest to these passionate words you feel in the moment. Cause we both know that the minute I’m not looking you in the eye, you’re off doing what you do best,” she counters. 

Green eyes blink away the regret. “I’ve never lied to you, Keelin. I’ve never said anything that I didn’t mean,” she tries.

“Yeah, but you never told me the whole truth either did you? We can go in circles and we can play semantics but the same fact remains. You don’t see me as an equal, you don’t see me as anything other than _yours_. All I ever hear about is how you’re protecting me from this and that, how you’re saving me the hardship. You just like making big decisions with your hand on the control button. It’s like you feel so empowered by it.”

There’s a brief pause as the witch’s face shifts into one of hurt. The conclusion drawn by the younger woman is a crushing blow. “Putting our daughter before everything else had nothing to do with control. I can’t believe that you would think that,” she states with offense. Keelin can’t help the outpouring of her thoughts and emotions now that the barrier has broken.

“What else have you’ve given me to think about? Is it how trigger happy you really are? Or how doomed our whole relationship seems to be?”

“Don’t say that. You mean everything to me, _this_ is everything to me. I’ll never be prepared to watch it all fall apart.”

The older woman stalks over to her significant other and stops right in front of her. “Wake up, Freya it is falling apart! We don’t talk anymore, _really_ talk. I can’t even sleep in our bed. How are we supposed to build a _marriage_ on this, on secrets and lies? Could you really do that and live with it? Be honest with yourself.” 

“You’re having second thoughts,” the blonde surmises.

“I’m having several thoughts about the life of my daughter and what she deserves.” Keelin takes a step closer so that she’s in the other woman’s space. “I thought that we were in a different place. Before I knew the truth, I was sure that this was all I wanted. Now I’m not so sure about anything other than our daughter’s need to survive this. Mikaela shouldn’t have to deal with such a broken foundation. We’re literally on a nonexistent spectrum of walking on eggshells and being ready to blow each other away.”

Freya peers down at her feet while slightly shaking her head at the direction they’re going in. “And you believe that not having both of her parents won’t cause damage?” The taller woman straightens up almost challengingly. “I will never allow my daughter to experience the curse of not having me, or you here with her. If we’re considering what she deserves then that’s it. She needs us both,” she testifies.

“But you’re perfectly fine with cursing her in other ways,” the werewolf throws back. “No one said anything about her not having us, Freya. I wouldn’t be here right now if that were true. This is just too hard.”

Keelin spins around and exits the bedroom with the blonde following not too far behind. She’s in route to the kitchen and they pass by their almost tuckered out child. Once there, the smaller woman grabs the sippy cup on the counter and opens the fridge to retrieve a bottle of apple juice. She begins pouring the liquid into the cup before speaking up.

“You think that you’re doing the honorable thing. Whatever it takes to protect her right? Well, what about the possibility of our problems backfiring on us? Huh, what then?”

“That won’t happen. We’re stronger together and I could never do this without you. You know that,” the witch proclaims. The other woman stops her task and grabs her forehead with a hand. She takes this moment to approach her slowly while biting her lip. 

“This is the thing though, I really don’t know that. If we were so strong we’d be on the same page. We clearly can’t agree on much of anything. You didn’t want me by your side when you decided on _everything_ in our lives. If anything, this punishment is making me see that I can’t share a life with you if you’re always going to operate on the callous witch frequency. I know that you’ve been hardwired to do that for so long but Freya…things were supposed to be different when we found out about the life we created. This all started with me and you. Maybe you need to think more about that before pledging an eternal bond.”

The werewolf curses as she accidentally spills some of the drink in her frustration and the witch goes to speak but finds the words escaping her. 

Like always, everything that the doctor was saying is true. It was all her fault for putting them in their current position. It was all of her impulses and choices that completely altered everything that they had. Her mode of being is exactly why she needed the woman in front of her. She balanced her out and countered all the wicked things about her. 

Before Keelin came along, there was nothing to challenge the emotions that lurked beneath the surface of her tough exterior. There was no one who could see the true ins and outs of her without a microscope. Their connection was made apparent from the very moment they laid eyes on each other. And she’s ashamed to even fully think about the circumstances behind their meeting in the first place.

She would never be deserving of the woman and the life that she has given her. That much is the obvious truth. But she also could never live without her. The heart beating within her chest would never be able to reconcile the thought or entertain the action. 

Keelin turns to go to the family room but Freya swiftly traps her against the counter with arms on both sides, hands gripping the surface tightly.

“When everything is said and done, _our_ family will be left standing.”  
________________________________________

**_“So, you assumed that I wouldn’t notice my supposed friend pulling my own business right out from under me?”_ **

**_Hayes grips the steel baseball bat in his hands while staring the man down with intimidation. The man looks at him fearfully before looking down and shaking his head._ **

**_“I’m-I’m s-s-s-sorry…I…”_ **

**_The werewolf cuts the stuttering off and motions for his right-hand man to come near. Once the character does so, he hands the bat over to him. He then peers back over to his captive. “I don’t care that you stole from me. Hell, take all the money you want. But what does rub me the wrong way is when my family is endangered by the mindless antics of tragic fools. I’ve come to find that some of your contacts are enemies of mine,” he reveals._ **

**_The frightened man keeps his head downcast as he shivers in the night._ **

**_“Is this true,” Hayes asks._ **

**_“I…I-I-I-I…”_ **

**_The two henchmen laugh boisterously at the terrified individual and Hayes tilts his head unamused._ **

**_“All I’m hearing is eye, eye, eye, eye. Should I take them out?”_ **

**_The traitor shakes his head quickly in response._ **

**_“You understand that your crime can’t go without punishment, right? I am a fair man that is willing to take in those who pull their own weight…but it appears that you’ve taken advantage of my kindness. You are aware that by day I have humans waiting on me to slip up with my business transactions yeah? And by night vampires are waiting for the perfect time to destroy my progress, I thought? It makes me a very busy guy to say the least,” he reviews before a brief pause. “How is it that you’ve managed to shake up both scenarios at once?”_ **

**_“I’m sorry Hayes, I’m sorry,” the traitor cries._ **

**_The wolf glides over to strike him hard. He then lays a few punches into his face before pulling back. “You got blood on my suit. Hold him up,” he orders. The two burly men oblige him by moving to grab both sides of the dizzy man._ **

**_“You were a part of the most successful venom trade operation ever. We’ve reached far corners of the world and you were trying to ruin that. A large-scale screw up deserves a large-scale demise don’t you think?” The bloodied man begins weeping dramatically with one eye already swollen shut. “That’s why we had to say goodbye to your family this evening, just as you practically tried to do with mine.”_ **

**_Hayes shrugs indifferently as his former ally gazes at him weakly. “It’s a shame. I thought we were the best of friends. Looks like I was wrong,” he concludes. “Let him go.”_ **

**_The two subjugates release the man promptly and he looks around at them in confusion. Hayes only nods his head and raises his chin up. The traitor glances at his former friend once more before walking away hastily. The business man allows him several feet before summoning his wolf side with glowing eyes. He growls and then takes off before pouncing on his victim, ripping him limb from limb with great force. When his newfound enemy is demolished, he pulls back with blood all over his white dress shirt. He whips his head around and sees his wife looking right at him in the distance. She shakes her head in disappointment and he immediately races toward her knowingly as she retreats into their home. Upon entering he finds the woman gathering their two daughters._ **

**_“What are you doing,” he asks in a demanding tone of voice. Kelly rocks the toddler on her hip. “You didn’t have to do that, not here. He was a friend.” Hayes looks away impatiently in disbelief. “Yes, he was a friend before he made unfortunate decisions. My family comes first and I have too much to lose,” he rightfully claims._ **

**_“Yeah, and you’re losing us too,” she states._ **

**_The woman takes her older daughter’s hand in hers and attempts to leave but is blocked by her husband._ **

**_“You’re not taking my daughters away. No one’s leaving, we belong together.” His tone is even as he stares at his frustrated wife. He peers at their eldest child before crouching down. “Hey, baby. Come here,” he beckons sweetly. Kennedy gazes at her father and goes to meet him but is stopped by her mother’s arm in front of her._ **

**_“No. We agreed that business doesn’t come home. It has no place here. That’s two times you’ve went against me now. You’re putting them in danger.”_ **

**_Hayes can feel his temper flare up at the remark. He rises to his feet and points a finger at the woman. “Don’t you paint me as a villain who doesn’t care for the safety of his children. I live and breathe for my little girls! I’m making this world good enough for them to thrive in! Don’t ever question my motives,” he growls out. Kelly shakes her head in opposition and scoots her baby up on her side._ **

**_“As long as you keep holding on to this grudge over your father it’s going to be this way. You get so crazy and you don’t think straight,” she reclaims._ **

**_A flame suddenly lights in the man’s eye and he violently tosses a nearby lamp into the wall. His wife remains unflinching but Keelin and Kennedy begin to cry. He pulls back in shame and turns around to discover his mother behind him. His brown eyes widen._ **

**_“I didn’t raise you to be the man flying off the handle in front of his two young daughters,” Patty states calmly. Hayes raises his chin at her much like he did as a little boy. He means no harm by the mannerism. It was just his way of stilling himself with dignity. “Your papa wouldn’t be happy about your behavior. But then again you’re making the same thoughtless decisions just like him.”_ **

**_The younger Murphy advances on his mother but she pushes him back into the wall with an arm across his chest. He grunts at the harsh action._ **

**_“Straighten up,” she demands. “Chin up. Feet planted and heart strong. We protect our family but we do it right.” Patty releases her son with a nod and he straightens his dirty shirt. “Now go clean up before you scare my babies more,” she orders._ **

**_The man strides past his family without a word and the matriarch moves to retrieve her granddaughter from her daughter in law. Once relieved of the toddler, Kelly bends down and cradles Kennedy’s tear streaked face._ **

**_“He still struggles with his place,” the older woman states. Keelin lays her little head on her grandma’s shoulder. “He wants to be more like his father but also wants to be anything other than him.”_ **

**_Kelly observes the woman closely. “I thought that it could change with Keelin’s birth but here we are a year later, in the same spot,” she replies sadly. “I want our family to be strong but not obsessed with power, not broken. What’s the use in fighting if we’ll get to ourselves before our enemies even do?”_ **

**_Patty places a palm to Kennedy’s cheek as the little girl holds onto her side. The younger woman softly smiles at her children’s love for their grandmother._ **

**_“We’re stronger together and we never give up on each other at any point. There are good times and bad times but we’re forever bound as one force,” she affirms. She offers a sincere smile before delicately stroking Kennedy’s curls and pressing a kiss to Keelin’s head._ **

**_Kelly finally nods at her words of wisdom._**  
________________________________________

Keelin looks into the fiercely passionate green eyes boring into her own. An exasperated huff escapes her and she lightly shoves Freya back in frustration. When her path is clear she leaves the kitchen to enter the family room. Mikaela is fast asleep in her play yard with her teddy bear snuggled against her. 

The werewolf smiles softly at the scene before sitting the sippy cup down on the nearby shelf. She swings her legs over one by one and carefully scoops up the toddler. Then she exits the same way just as Freya comes to stand in the kitchen threshold.

The parents make their way to the nursery where Keelin gently lays their daughter down in her crib. She twists around to face the blonde who’s leering at her with arms folded to her chest.

“She should be out like a light. It took me all night to get her to sleep and she still woke up early today. I’m going for a walk okay?”

Freya lets her arms drop and slightly tilts her head at the woman. “Can’t we just talk about the situation first,” she inquires hopefully. The younger woman looks away briefly. “I don’t really feel like there’s much to say right now. I just need some time to myself, space to clear my head. You can bring yourself to respect that can’t you?”

The blonde angles her head down in defeat before softly nodding and Keelin shakes her head as she brushes past her. She halts at the bedroom door and gazes back at the woman. A light sigh releases into the air.

“I know that you think I’m fighting you and that I’m giving up but really…I’m trying to fight our dilemma. No matter what Mikaela comes first and I want what’s best for her, always,” she professes. Brown eyes watch intently as the taller woman seems to hold onto the words. At last, she rotates around to face the brunette and offers a quiet nod of acceptance. Keelin bites her bottom lip and disappears from sight.  
________________________________________

The walk so far has been refreshing. There’s finally the space to breathe and feel a little freer. The hectic emotions spurred by on by diving into her past and wading through her present were going to be the death of her.

However, Keelin didn’t properly evaluate the downside of freedom. Now that she’s alone with no one but herself, her thoughts are threatening to take over. She doesn’t want to bother Bridget any more than she already has but it’s proving to be an uncomfortable situation.

Her mind is going places she doesn’t want to go, places she’d never allow. 

Since retiring her search for the cure she’s been a bit on edge. Of course, she wants to be as strong as she can be for her daughter’s sake. But it hasn’t exactly absolved her of all the harrowing thoughts inside her head. Luckily, the realistic visions haven’t plagued her since the unwelcomed visit from the hellish version of her late grandmother. And for that she’s more than grateful. Still the ever-present fear, guilt, and disdain for her nature fuels her darkest corners.

Maybe it really wasn’t such a good idea to open Patty’s box.

Without warning, the most undesirable musing drives its way into her calm. _What if I had never gotten pregnant?_ It hits her like a ton of bricks and before she can erase the thought, more follow. _I wouldn’t have continued my stupid line. I would be on the fast track to a cure. I wouldn’t have to worry about maniacs trying to steal my baby._

Her eyes shut tightly. _No. No, no, no. Stop!_ The assault on her mind is relentless and unmatched.  
________________________________________

**_“He just has so much energy. It reminds me of Collins at his age,” Kennedy beams proudly. “He’s special.”_ **

**_Hayes grins as he comes around to sit down at the counter. “Of course, he’s special. He…” The man’s words are quickly intercepted by his youngest daughter. “Has glorious Malraux blood flowing through his veins,” Keelin mocks knowingly. Three pairs of eyes peer over at the young woman reading a book at the kitchen table. “Newsflash, Daniel is a child not a trophy,” she adds._ **

**_From behind the kitchen island, Kelly goes back to chopping up vegetables and Kennedy lightly rolls her eyes at her sister. Hayes straightens up on his seat while regarding the medical student. “I hope you learn the value of priding on your children when the time comes,” he states. Keelin continues to scan the page of her book as she responds indifferently._ **

**_“Hm, children? I don’t know if that’s in my cards actually.”_ **

**_She shrugs and her father furrows his eyebrows at the statement. Kelly looks up once again and Kennedy sighs, unsurprised by her sibling’s attitude._ **

**_“What do you mean they’re not in your cards,” her mother suddenly asks._ **

**_“I mean that I haven’t really thought about it all that much which means that I have virtually no desire to have them in my future. And before you drop the whole charade of tolerance on me, yes. I am aware that I can still be a mother whether I’m with a guy or a girl,” she proclaims. The older woman fixes her mouth to speak but gets lost in her thoughts for a moment._ **

**_“We get it, you’re a raging bisexual. You don’t have to be a bitch though,” Kennedy cuts in with annoyance._ **

**_The younger sibling finally gazes up from her studies and observes her family with a smirk._ **

**_“Well, I learned from the best. And maybe my raging bisexuality was also brought on by your latent lesbianism,” she remarks. The older sibling clenches her jaw and hastily leaves the kitchen to her sister’s delight._ **

**_“Keelin Patricia Murphy, that was very unnecessary,” Kelly chides while returning to her cooking. Her daughter only chuckles joyfully in opposition. “What? Okay, that was very necessary. It’s not my fault she’s so uptight because she kissed a girl once and liked it,” she replies with surrendered arms. “Give me a break.” Hayes rubs his chin in deep thought and finally speaks up again._ **

**_“What’s this about you not wanting to continue the bloodline?” Keelin sighs before looking down to play with the pen in her hand. “Dad, it’s not a big deal. I just don’t think I want the responsibility of being a parent. I’m just now starting med school and my life is practically devoted to this. That leaves very little time for chasing little ones around.”_ **

**_“Then why do I feel the sense of you trying to run further away from who you are?”_ **

**_“My god, not everything is about your precious bloodline,” she states exasperatedly. She throws her hands up in the air. “Maybe I don’t wanna give up who I actually am for that. Maybe I just don’t wanna rent out my womb for the time being. Why does it matter? It’s not like you’re going to be the parent.” Her father examines her intently._ **

**_“Just say what you really want to say, Keelin.”_ **

**_Keelin stares at him incredulously. “I am saying what I want to say! You’re just never listening! You don’t see me for what I really am!” She shakes her head furiously as her father grows impatient himself. “I do see you for the frightened little girl you still are. Say what you mean,” he demands. The younger Murphy narrows her eyes at the man challenging her._ **

**_“Fine, maybe if the opportunity did present itself I’d sure as hell check ‘no’ on creating a person with my defect,” she aggressively asserts. “Happy now?”_ **

**_Hayes eases back onto his stool as Keelin rises to her feet._ **

**_“Stop it,” Kelly orders. Their daughter hastily grabs her book and walks away in frustration. Her father sighs before rubbing his forehead and his wife gazes over at him disappointedly. “You can’t push so hard. They’re all still finding their way.”  
_________________________________________**

**__**

Keelin stops by the park bench and sits down. _Pull yourself together. This is not you right now. Think happy thoughts. You’re fine._ And by some miracle a beautiful thought fills her mind. _If things had never happened the way that they did…then I would’ve never known the most special person in my life, Mikaela Roux Mikaelson._

**__**

She finally breathes deep and releases it from her lungs.

**__**

“Keelin?”

**__**

The woman opens her eyes to be met with the last face she’d ever expect to see at this point. It’s safe to say that no surprises could overwhelm her after all she’s been through but still.

**__**

“Maxwell,” she breathes out in disbelief. The tall man fixes his black coat and sits down beside her. His eyes gaze at her with concern. “Are you okay,” he inquires.

**__**

The question is simple and straightforward but she finds herself awestruck by it because really? A bitter chuckle filters past her lips and the mysterious figure furrows his eyebrows.

**__**

“At this point, what does _okay_ even mean because I’d like to know,” she offers sarcastically. Maxwell zones in on her intently. “Keelin, has something happened,” he tries again. The woman turns to him with a serious expression and he eases into his shoulders on instinct. The werewolf is looking wearier than he has ever seen her. And that’s saying a lot given that he was present at the time of her incredible feat of delivering the world’s first magically conceived child.

**__**

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. But then again you’ve never thought very highly of her.” Maxwell raises his eyebrows at her. “Freya did some unforgivable things to people and long story short…she went and got herself cursed,” she reveals sorely. A look of utter resentment crosses her face and the witch tenses up knowingly. “Now we’re just scrambling around like chickens with our heads cut off because Mikaela is completely vulnerable to all of Freya’s enemies.”

**__**

Maxwell gazes regretfully at his friend and lowers his head in shame. Keelin tilts her head at the man with her own sullen expression.

**__**

“That one takes the cake, right? If you want to throw out an ‘I told you so’ feel free.” The man remains quiet for several moments and now the werewolf is the one suddenly enveloped in confusion. But then he turns his body to face her in his seat. She watches him intently.

**__**

“It wasn’t my place to tell you so I urged the witch to do so before she made matters worse,” he states. Keelin’s lips part slightly and the man raises two fingers to stop her. “Keelin, I’m sorry. You will never know how much I wish things were different. But now I can finally give you my truth. I was the one tasked with placing the curse on Freya. I’m sorry.”

**__**


	14. MALRAUX PART II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin decides to show Mikaela her Malraux history while wrestling with her own demons and the state of her engagement. (Part II)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PART II as promised. Still shitty I literally pressed the post button and then it didn't post so this is a redo ughhh. I'm putting two deleted scenes on my tumblr if you wanna check that out.
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Nathan Ball - Echo: Maxwell tells Keelin the truth about his involvement in Freya's curse.
> 
> 2) Freya Ridings - Blackout: FLASHBACK of Keelin breaking down after fighting Kennedy.
> 
> 3) Talos - Reborn: Keelin is confronted by hallucinations of her family.
> 
> 4) Ruelle - Game of Survival: FLASHBACK of the Malraux bloodline being hunted while Keelin starts her residency.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

“It wasn’t my place to tell you so I urged the witch to do so before she made matters worse,” he states. Keelin’s lips part slightly and the man raises two fingers to stop her. “Keelin, I’m sorry. You will never know how much I wish things were different. But now I can finally give you my truth. I was the one tasked with placing the curse on Freya. I’m sorry.”

Keelin sinks further into disbelief and after a second she withdraws from the man.

“What?”

The witch fixes his jaw and maintains his distance. “It doesn’t absolve me of the crime but I had no choice. My master is cruel and only concerns himself with a hearty paycheck. Just as Freya is bound to an unfortunate curse, I am bound to my own indefinite servitude. The witch has made powerful enemies in the wake of her dealings,” he explains.

The wolf grabs her forehead in anxiety before quickly rising to her feet. Dark eyes watch her next move closely. “I don’t understand. You too? How could you,” she questions desperately.

Maxwell refrains from making any attempt at a defense because he is not worthy of it. For Keelin, it was enough to know that she had been sleeping with the enemy this entire time. But to be confronted with the new development of the man’s part, completely breaks her already shaken world. This was someone she considered a friend. Without him she wasn’t sure if Mikaela’s birth would’ve been made successful. Her brain can’t comprehend how he’d be able to sentence that same life to a horrible fate. She shakes the thoughts furiously. 

“I don’t know what’s worse. The fact that I’ve been the only one left in the dark about my own daughter or that the people who are supposed to care the most about her have done all the irreparable damage,” she states with spite. 

The man stands up from the bench with a pained look. “It was never my will, truly.”

“Yeah, well impact versus intent. Excuse me.” She moves away swiftly and the loner curses himself internally before following behind. They get to a secluded area when Keelin finally whips around to face him.

“I’ve been looking for ways to protect Mikaela. I want to ensure her safety as we anticipate the enemy’s strike,” he offers. The woman rolls her eyes. “She doesn’t need your redemption, she needs to be free of this curse!”

“If she’s going to survive then she needs as much power on her side as possible. Keelin, you can fight me when she’s properly out of reach from her enemies. Until then, try to reason with me.” The werewolf can feel her blood starting to simmer. “You sound just like Freya. I’m starting to think that this is all just one big conspiracy. Neither of you cared enough to not affect an innocent life. And now all of a sudden you know best,” she retorts agitatedly.

Why did she seem to attract the most headstrong and hellbent personalities? She was starting to think that maybe she was under the effects of a curse all her own. It even ran in her family when it came to the women. The apparent lack of control over her own life stirs an inextinguishable fire within her chest.

“I can’t even look at you,” she reclaims. Her head shakes destructively. “Just leave me and my daughter alone.” Maxwell respects her boundary but slightly tilts his own head with a darkened expression.

“You’re running out of time. Mikaela needs our heads together. It’s her best chance,” he declares. “Without this alliance she’s doomed.”

For a moment Keelin ceases all thought and movement. His words were triggering her darkest fears all over again. The volatile and terrified emotions come boiling up to the surface against her own will. In a split second she’s lunging over at the unsuspecting man. Their bodies crash into the ground as she straddles him and lays a fist right into his nose. A sickeningly loud crack of bone is heard in response as the witch’s features contort with pain. He lets out a harsh breath but is unable to shield his face from the next blow. Such a violent retaliation from the gentle woman was not anticipated. 

This was more along the lines of his expectations for the soulless Mikaelson witch. But either way the punishment could never compare to the one he inflicted upon the wolf indirectly. She lays another punch into his injured nose causing it to bleed profusely and then another hit instantly bruises his cheekbone.

Maxwell fails to even defend himself let alone put up a fight and the slight lull of his skull finally thrusts Keelin out of her blinding rage. She pulls back and looks down at the bludgeoned countenance. Her eyes then fly to her hands as she examines the blood on them. Further inspection displays bruised knuckles, dirty nails, and fervent shaking. The evidence is confirming the things she knew to be true about herself. She was a monster in disguise, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. No one suspected her true unrestrained nature but now the beast inside is no longer hiding. It was predisposed within her blood. This is not what she wants to be but it’s who she is.  
________________________________________

**_Keelin stumbles over to the blur of faces standing around the burial ground. From the distance she can hear the speaker talk about how important and great the deceased woman was. But all of his words are so surface level and wrong. He obviously knew nothing about who she truly was because she was simply so much more than what he’s offering right now. The use of past tense is also daunting for her as she has yet to fully reconcile the matriarch’s passing without her presence._ **

**_Ever since visiting her in the hospital, the medical student made it an effort to talk to her grandmother every day. It was absolutely terrifying to return home after her run in with her victim’s family but still she wanted some way to reach her rock._ **

**_Patty had seemed fine and of high spirits. She wasn’t even experiencing her episodes anymore and then suddenly during a particularly hard week of studying, Keelin was informed of her death. The whole situation shocked her to the core and she hasn’t recovered since. Her visits to the bar increased as she fell into isolation while awaiting the day of her final resting. The only time she had left was to go stock up on her own extensive alcohol collection. After that she didn’t even leave her room for the first three days in a booze filled haze. Suddenly living without her grandmother felt like not living at all._ **

**_Across the field, the eyes of some mourners fall upon the unsteady woman. It isn’t like she notices though as she continues to listen to the man talking._ **

**_It’s something like “Patricia Jolene Malraux was an honorable matriarch. Those who knew Patty Malraux knew that she was an amazing woman. Patty Murphy is no longer with us in the physical sense but her spirit is now at peace with her husband. Blah blah blah.” It all makes her sick._ **

**_Her immediate family notices her from their spots and Collins attempts to walk over to her before being stopped by Hayes. Kennedy then takes the initiative to go scold her sister for being so late to the ceremony._ **

**_“What the hell are you doing showing up here like a psycho? You have some nerve,” she reprimands. Keelin gazes at her wearily through ultra-dark lenses and shrugs. “I’m here for my grandmother, same as you,” she retorts as if nothing’s wrong. She suddenly tries to stride through her sister but is held back by the shoulder easily._ **

**_“You’re acting like a zombie. Are you on drugs?”_ **

**_Keelin lets out a burst of laughter that makes the older woman uncomfortable. She wasn’t going to judge other manners of grieving but something is definitely off about her sister._ **

**_“No way, I’d get kicked out of school and I’d never hear the end of it. But that wouldn’t be too bad right about now,” she replies with a shrug. Kennedy scowls at the woman. “You need to go home. This is not the time to make everything about you,” she growls. The younger sibling shakes her head childishly._ **

**_“Last time I checked I had full autonomy of myself.”_ **

**_Kennedy shoves her sister back in irritation. “Out of respect for grandma Patty you need to leave,” she asserts. Keelin snatches her sunglasses off and glares at her opponent with red eyes. “Don’t tell me about respecting her when I literally worship the ground she walks on. You don’t know anything about it. I’m the one who has always been close to her. I love her,” she states with a sparked temper._ **

**_“You were close to her. You did worship the ground she walked on,” she states condescendingly while stressing the past tense words. “But she’s dead now and it’s all your fault! I told you what a self-righteous bitch you are!”_ **

**_Keelin growls as her wolf side makes an appearance and before she can control it, her first is colliding into Kennedy’s face. The older sister stumbles back and touches just under her eye, noting the blood on her cheekbone. She clenches her jaw before pouncing on the younger werewolf in blind rage. They fall to the ground and roll around in the grass until Kennedy gains dominance. She begins choking Keelin harshly who pushes her own thumbs into the woman’s eyes defensively._ **

**_The older sibling continues to strangle her with a single grip as she slowly bends her sister’s hand back with a snap. Keelin yelps in pain and Kennedy presses down with all of her weight. The broken woman underneath her gazes up with tears streaming down her face. Suddenly she feels her anger dissipating at the state of her sibling._ **

**_“I’m sorry,” Keelin cries out._ **

**_Within seconds, Kennedy releases her hold and scoots back, horrified at what she was just attempting to do. She had vowed to always protect her sister no matter what and here she is nearly killing her with her bare hands. She watches as the distraught woman sobs and finally she moves over to cradle her._ **

**_“I’m sorry too. I’m so sorry too,” she apologizes sadly before kissing her sister’s head._**  
________________________________________

**_After the whole funeral brawl fiasco, Collins stayed with Keelin until she passed out due to her exhaustion and intoxication. The eldest Murphy was too ashamed to take on the task and the little brother had understood._ **

**_Currently, Collins exits the bedroom and quietly closes the door behind him. However, he runs right into Kennedy upon turning around. He straightens up and observes her tentative features._ **

**_“Is she okay,” the eldest inquires softly. Her younger brother negatively shakes his head sadly._ **

**_“I don’t know. She won’t talk to me.”_ **

**_The woman nods and steps around him to open the door. When she enters she finds her sister facing toward the window while laying on her side. A streak of sunlight pours into the otherwise sparsely lit room. Kennedy clasps her hands and hesitates before going to sit on the end of the bed. Keelin dips along with the mattress but doesn’t move a single muscle voluntarily. The older woman sighs before speaking up._ **

**_“I know that this is really hard for you. And I made it worse by saying all those things I didn’t mean.”_ **

**_“You did mean them. But you were right,” the hungover woman remarks. “I deserve every bad thing that comes to me.”_ **

**_“No, you don’t! Keelin, you’re better than the rest of us. You refused to go down a path that wasn’t meant for you. That’s why grandma thought you were so special,” she claims. The younger sister shrugs weakly underneath the covers while sinking further into her moping._ **

**_“I’m not special, I’m a hypocrite. I only hurt everyone in my path and then I push it down deep to feel better about myself.” She begins weeping all over again and Kennedy turns around to finally face her. “I don’t want to be this way. I can’t be this monster waiting to be unleashed,” she cries. Kennedy gets up and goes to the side of the bed before resting on her knees, inches away from her sister._ **

**_“Hey, you’re not a monster. I finally get why you’ve kept your distance. You need to do what’s right for you okay? Whatever you choose, I accept it and support you. But this is something that you’ll always be fighting unless you face it, Keelin.”_ **

**_The older sister waits on a response that never comes and instead rises to her feet. She moves over to the closet and retrieves an old jewelry box before returning to her spot at Keelin’s bedside. The wooden box is placed right next to the tormented werewolf._ **

**_“You should have this. That’s what she would’ve wanted. When you’re ready it will always be right here waiting for you,” the eldest proclaims._ **

**_Kennedy quietly gets back up and leaves the room after looking over at the fragile woman once more. Keelin lies there while staring at the last offering of the grandmother she failed to cherish enough._**  
________________________________________

Keelin peers down at the unmoving body holding up her weight. The logical doctor side of her assumes the man to be unconscious but the anxious part of her wants to run. She feels the urge to check his pulse and tend to him, to heal him. But her distress pushes her to scramble to her feet. The werewolf backs away with revulsion toward herself and flees into the nearby woods.

Maxwell lies in the grass for several moments before the pounding of his heart restarts. A short time after that he springs up with a rush of oxygen flooding his lungs. He chokes on air and coughs to readjust to his newly revived state.

Memories surge through his mind and he gathers to his feet with a certain witch in mind.  
________________________________________

Overwrought knocking alarms Freya from her place in the kitchen. She raises an eyebrow in confusion and strides over to the front door. On her best guard she turns the knob to meet the sight of badly beaten and blood-soaked Maxwell. Green eyes enlarge in surprise. 

“What the hell are you doing here and what happened to you,” she inquires suspiciously.

“An angry werewolf, I’m afraid.”

He tries to enter but his body is instantly bumped back. Freya tilts her head with small smirk of amusement. “Didn’t think I’d just leave the front door wide open for you again, did you?” Maxwell throws her a less than pleased look before grabbing his hammering head.

“We have no time for your petty games right now. We need to find Keelin. She isn’t dead inside like you so I know that she’s probably off somewhere falling deeper into her anguish,” the man states. The blonde immediately straightens up with concern.

“What are you talking about? What did you do to her,” she asks in a demanding tone. She frowns at the other witch and he sighs.

“I was made aware of her knowledge of your betrayal. I have to say that I didn’t expect you to ever come clean,” he remarks. Freya briefly looks down with guilt as he continues. “So, I owned up to my part in it and…let’s just say that she didn’t take it all too well.” An eyebrow quirks at the tall man. “Keelin did _this_ to you,” she questions in disbelief. Maxwell nods with regret. Both witches are obviously perplexed by the whole situation. The werewolf was the most kind and gentlest person that they knew and the development of her instability is collectively disquieting to them. 

“She murdered me in cold blood to be frank. 10/10 best death of my life.”

Freya shakes her head at his cynical sarcasm before quickly going into action. She places both of her palms in the threshold and gazes up at the man. “If this is true then she’s out there blaming herself. She’s been struggling with her nature more so lately than ever before to my knowledge. I can’t allow her to lose herself to this,” she declares. The barrier ceases to exist and Maxwell steps inside while the blonde is already moving to gather her things.

“Perhaps you could pry some of her blood off of me for a locator spell,” the man jests while examining his state in a mirror. The older witch reappears with a large map and vial in hand. She walks past him and right into the kitchen to sit the things on the table. Maxwell follows her with his eyes and saunters into the space. A look of realization spreads across his face. “You have her DNA on standby?”

The woman begins writing out a quick letter and crumples it up into her hands before willing it to its destination.

“Stockpiled blood and readily available venom. Her hair is easiest to come by and if all else failed I could use Mikaela,” she states with a shrug. Maxwell wearily gapes at the woman. “How else was I going to ensure her safety at all times from newly acquired enemies?” She uses the dropper from the vile to splatter a few drops of Keelin’s blood onto the map of Allentown. Within moments the droplets are coming together at one point. 

“No need to justify your biological burglary to me. The lengths you’d go to for protection never fail to set the standard,” he quips with a bit of truth. 

A magic note materializes from thin air and the blonde hastily opens up. It takes her a millisecond to read and then she puts it aside. “Someone’s here to watch over Mikaela while we get Keelin.” The male witch raises his chin. “The secret witch I suspect,” he wittingly asks. “And where exactly are we off to?” Freya walks past him toward the front door and opens it to reveal Bridget with her fist midair.

“She’s deep in the woods, even further than my safe house,” the witch answers. She then regards the younger woman. “Mikaela is still asleep. It shouldn’t take me long to bring Keelin back safely.”

“If she’s in the woods then I should go. I know them like the back of my hand,” Bridget suggests.

The older woman sharply protests. “You’re the only one that Keelin trusts with my daughter and nothing will keep me from bringing her back myself.” Green eyes look the woman over seriously until she reluctantly gives in. “Just make sure that she’s in one piece,” the younger witch retorts. Freya nods in short and allows her in before setting out on her mission. Maxwell promptly hurries behind her leaving Bridget alone in the home.  
________________________________________

Keelin catches her breath with the rapid rise and fall of her chest. Spinning around she finds that she’s completely unaware of her surroundings. She’s almost a hundred percent sure that she has murdered a man with her bare hands. Someone that she had considered a friend was now seriously hurt because of her. Sure, she was justified in her anger. But it did little to ease the guilt about unleashing the monster within.

She stumbles through the underbrush and listens to the sounds of wildlife. Birds, insects, and other unidentified creatures chatter away as the sun overhead begins to set. Deep exhaustion is settling into her bones and all she wants to do is curl up inside of herself. _I need to get home._

The trees start to distort and cave in on her. With every step she takes she further realizes how trapped she is. And then her ears alert her to the crunching of leaves. Instinctively, she whips her head around and she would never be prepared for the next thing she sees. Hayes is gazing right at her with a pool of blood in the spot over his chest. Keelin feels her entire being freeze.

“No,” she finally breathes out. She shakes her head in protest before turning around to find her mother with a slit throat. Without a second thought she jumps back.

“Where have you been sweetie,” Kelly inquires with an unsettling smile.

Keelin rocks her head in confusion and backs away slightly. “This isn’t real. It can’t be real,” she exclaims apprehensively. Two more figures approach the scene and she finds herself encircled by the deceased family members. The traumatic visions are causing her heart to beat erratically and her mind slips into hysteria.

“You’re not real. You’re supposed to be with us.”

The frightened werewolf snatches her head toward the familiar voice and her eyes fall upon Kennedy. The older woman tilts her head with a blank expression. Keelin cringes at the sight of her bloodstained shirt before looking at the gaping wound of her brother’s head. “Let’s catch up,” Collins encourages. All of the ghostly dialogue is suddenly jarring as whispers whirl within her psyche and seize all rationality. Her hands clutch at her head and she sinks down to her knees. A ruthless migraine is beginning to ravage her brain like a ferocious disease, and her innermost thoughts waste no time jabbing at her past transgressions. The apparitions remain unmoving in their stoic but menacing stance.

A flash of suppressed memories forces its agony onto the surviving wolf. Hayes raises his chin at his daughter as he observes her plunge into self-condemnation.

“Family comes first, Keelin. Always.”  
________________________________________

**_Everything is so bright and brand new._ **

**_Keelin strolls down the hospital hallway with a wide smile as she greets each passerby politely. After climbing the mountain of medical school she’s finally entering her residency and is on her way to becoming an official emergency doctor. The well of late nights and hard drinks that she fell into after her grandmother’s passing was one that she wasn’t sure she’d ever escape at a point. Luckily for her, a savior came in the form of the bartender she had ran out on with no explanation._ **

**_It was funny how that turned out. The woman was the first one to tell her no. On one of her more dangerous nights she had refused to provide her with service and even drove her home. She took care of her with no strings attached and even snapped her out of her descent into madness by self-destructive behavior._ **

**_The raw and unabashed honesty was exactly what she needed during a deep self-loathing but also the genuine care that the blonde gave to her._ **

**_She didn’t deserve such kindness but she was forever grateful for it. They drifted apart after and she knew that it was for the best. It was her chance to actually start anew and away from everything including her family. They just held too many painful memories and dispiriting expectations of her. So, after graduating she cut all ties and moved away for good. It was easier that way and everyone was better off with the decision made._ **

**_Now she’s finally back on track and ready to help people the way that she was so kindly helped. Her maintained sobriety has her feeling over the moon and though she’s still not overjoyed by her werewolf nature she’s at least coping with it more efficiently. Things are actually looking up._ **

**_Meanwhile, Hayes has been alerted to the significant picking off of relatives with the Malraux name._ **

**_Technically, since he’s a Murphy he could’ve been safe and content with quiet. But because of his pride in his werewolf side and his great position of power, he is the ultimate target. In fact, he knows that because of this he has traitors among him._ **

**_Always a step ahead he decides to send his family away in different directions. They would of course meet again but for now their safety is his main priority. He forbids them all from attempting to locate or contact Keelin in order to keep her safe. None of them are to reach out to each other as he would conduct their communication._ **

**_“I heard that you’re going on vacation. Hawaii with the family?”_ **

**_Hayes gazes up at the man as he hands a mysterious case over to his worker who then brings it to the client._ **

**_“Something like that. But anyway, I best be leaving now,” he states before snapping his fingers. The werewolf straightens up and walks around his desk as another worker raises the garage to the warehouse up. Hayes walks past the client to send him off just as a group of vampires come entering. He stands back with his chin up._ **

**_“It’s funny. I haven’t actually seen your family in a while,” the client states eerily._ **

**_With expert agility, the werewolf snaps the man’s neck and swiftly fights off the vampires along with his men. They come at him quick but his years of training in Ireland, Asia, and even here at home in the states has paid off. He torpedoes through the bodies like a force to be reckoned with: impaling hearts with his treasured dagger, subduing others, and fatally injecting his venom into as many as possible. Two assailants charge at him and he plucks the head off one before the other grapples him from behind. An elbow in the gut and a subsequent quick chop to the neck throws the enemy off guard before he is staked in the heart._ **

**_However, more of them pour into the warehouse and his men are killed off one by one leaving him cornered. The vampires restrain him forcefully as one approaches to rip his heart out, instantly killing him._**  
________________________________________

**_The mother and son approach the towering apartment. Collins lags behind purposefully._ **

**_“I don’t know about this,” he states. “I have a weird feeling about this.”_ **

**_Kelly halts and turns around to face the man encouragingly. “There’s nothing to worry about. I’ve been corresponding with her for days now. We need the protection that only a witch can provide. After the spell we’re gone. For many generations we were great allies of theirs. Even hybrids were produced from that bond. It was peaceful until a few ingrates got cozied up to disgusting vampires. But here we can trust her,” she assures with a nod._ **

**_Collins stares at the older woman. “I trust no one in this war,” he declares. Kelly walks into the building and he cautiously follows her on high alert. They ascend up several flights of stairs until they reach the door of their desire. The older werewolf presses her palm against the barrier and leans in as she pushes the door open to reveal a chic space. The werewolves peer over at a woman facing away from them while gazing out the large window._ **

**_“I was expecting you, not a second too soon.”_ **

**_The brown-haired woman spins around slowly to look at her clients. Kelly finally allows herself in and Collins trails behind._ **

**_“Alexis. Do you have everything that you need,” the older woman inquires. “We don’t have much time.” Collins narrows in on the witch before crossing his arms, prompting her to step forward while slightly tilting her head. “Of course. I was just waiting for the blood of two strong werewolves,” she states with poise. The man inches forward protectively but his mother halts him with an unyielding arm. They stare at the woman with furrowed brows._ **

**_“That wasn’t a part of the original requirements,” Kelly replies. A ghost of a smirk plays on the witch’s lips as she fiercely scrutinizes her guests. Their stances are now readied and their eyes glow brightly._ **

**_“Things change. It’s the game of fate.”_ **

**_With great adrenaline, Collins breaks through his mother’s guard and pounces on the brunette. Alexis pushes him back with telekinesis causing him to fly back into the wall by the door. Kelly growls and grabs for her neck while she only blinks. “Saw that coming in a dozen different ways,” she taunts._ **

**_The werewolf punches her hard and her neck pops from the force. All of a sudden, the vampires filter into the loft. Collins is already at his feet and attacking his enemies with powerful blows and fatal bites. Alexis begins to lull her head from side to side breathlessly while grinning and Kelly widens her eyes at the bruised woman._ **

**_“What could possibly be so amusing, you traitorous witch,” the wolf spits._ **

**_The cypher sighs in contentment as she observes her opponent. “This is a rivalry you will not rise from. Your nature is a bone of contention and from the breaking of that bone, the vampires will succeed. More than that the fruits of your empire will crumble along with your family. It is clearer now and written in my blood,” she reveals. Alexis then proceeds to caress the werewolf’s wrist, drawing small patterns as visions of death flow between them._ **

**_“Bonded by a pride so strong, ignorant to the dark swan song. Consumed by an inescapable fear, the Malraux damnation is surely near.”_ **

**_The witch finishes reciting her verse as Kelly examines her with abhorrence and terror in her veins. She strikes the weary woman with the back of her arm before pulling herself up. When she whips around she notices that her son has taken down their enemies._ **

**_“Let’s go. Now,” she orders._ **

**_Collins nods and leads the way as they descend to the first floor. Before they touch down, another wave of vampires enters into the building. The man pushes his mother back. “This way,” he yells. They leap over the railing to run towards the back stairwell and yank on the exit door. It is sealed shut and won’t budge._ **

**_“Wretched witch,” the woman curses agitatedly. “She probably sealed the place with magic!”_ **

**_The younger werewolf turns the frustrated woman to face him and grabs her face while looking into her eyes. His own are fierce and unwavering. “We will survive this mom,” he asserts. “Together.” His mother places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes it just as vampires approach them. The Murphys steady themselves and bare sharp teeth before lunging at their foes. They rip through them abruptly but are overpowered and separated. Collins is restrained and forced to face his mother._ **

**_He grunts against their hold on him. Both pairs of eyes stare back at each other and Kelly clenches her jaw. Her mouth twists with unspoken words just as her throat is slit open and she grasps her neck. She drops to the floor, blood gurgling in her esophagus until her arms fall at her sides._ **

**_“No,” the son screams out in pain. Hands grip his arms tightly and hold him in place. A tormented expression overtakes his features. He begins to writhe around, unleashing a feral growl from the depths of his belly. With unmatched force he abruptly thrusts the assailants off of him and then drives his claws right through the heart of the closest vampire. Rushing through the group, he deals out calculated punches as he knocks them back, smashes skulls, and breaks ribs. After clearing a space, he allows himself to fully transform into his alter ego as eyes widen. The dark brown wolf drills right through the pile of enemies, trampling many of them and crushing limbs. Two of them rush toward the animal who strikes one before sinking his fangs into the other._ **

**_The creature then leaps onto another adversary before scooping him up in his mouth and running right through the wall. A group of vampires corner the werewolf growling at them and as he pounces onto his targets, a lone man vigorously impales him with rigid wood right through the head. Collins shrinks down and shifts into his human form as he fades away instantly._**  
________________________________________

**_Kennedy pulls out a hot pan of lasagna from the oven and sits it on the stovetop. Heat rises from the pasta as she waves a mitten above it. A satisfied sigh along with a grin is summoned by the woman._ **

**_She had finally become the homemaker she so desperately wanted to be for her young son. Of course, the fact that it took her family splitting up to make it happen gives it a bittersweet taste. But being an active mother and engaged to a man that loves her as well as her child, filled her with an undying hope._ **

**_While restlessly floating in her thoughts she realizes that she hasn’t heard a peep out of either of the two. She hopes that they aren’t conjuring up a mess like usual before deciding to go check the backyard for the rambunctious duo. The werewolf walks down the three steps and gazes across the large expanse of land. There is not a soul in sight and suddenly an eerie sensation stirs her._ **

**_“Daniel! AJ,” she calls out into the wind._ **

**_Determinately, the woman stalks off to the nearby woods and spots the familiar lookout fort. It was months ago that she had given into the boy’s pleading and allowed him to build the clubhouse with the help of his intended stepfather. The child had been so ecstatic and gracious that she found herself forever compensated with the simple delight her son displayed. The best of him is all she ever wanted._ **

**_Kennedy finally approaches the structure and rubs the foggy glass to peek into the fort. Scanning the place, there is nothing to see but she zones in closer anyway. Deep tension climbs up her spine as she leans in further. It dares her to slowly turn her head around and just as she does, a small figure springs out at her. Instinctively, the woman pulls back to recognize her playful son. Daniel removes his mask with a proud smirk._ **

**_“You should’ve seen your face,” he laughs out loud. “I got you good this time!” Kennedy frowns incredulously at the child._ **

**_“Ha. Ha. Very funny.” She peers around the trees. “Where is AJ,” she asks._ **

**_The boy shrugs mindlessly while examining his hockey mask. “I don’t know. He said that he would be right back after he got his stopwatch,” he replies. The mother nods in response before straightening up. “It’s about time to eat. Come on you little masked wonder.” They walk out of the woods and towards the house with Daniel jogging ahead. Once they enter the home the woman comes up from behind to grasp her son’s shoulder._ **

**_“Okay, go wash up for dinner. Need me to come check behind those ears mister,” she inquires jokingly. The trickster cringes at the question as he strides out of her hold._ **

**_“No thanks. I’m not a baby, I’m seven.”_ **

**_“Hey, watch that tone Mr. Too Grown Up For His Mama’s Help,” she retorts with an amused grin. Daniel shakes his head as he goes. “Moms, they never learn,” he remarks to himself._ **

**_They move deeper into the home until the boy pauses with a gasp. Kennedy nearly runs into him due to the abrupt stop. She follows his line of vision and sees her fiancé lying on the bed while covered in blood. Without another thought she hurries over to the wounded man._ **

**_“No, no, no! AJ, wake up,” she exclaims frantically._ **

**_The fear sets in as she shakes his lifeless body and she turns to look at her creeping son. “Mom,” he questions in a small voice. The werewolf rocks her head sadly. “Get under the bed,” she orders firmly. Daniel tilts his own head at her. “Mom,” he tries again but is harshly cut off. “I told you to get under the bed! Now!”_ **

**_The sharp urgency of the demand is met with a slight jump from the boy and the woman instantly feels bad. She bends down to place her hands on his shoulders while staring into his uncertain brown eyes. “I’m sorry. But I need you to do what I say okay? It’s important that you stay really quiet. Do you understand,” she questions with shining eyes. Daniel nods accordingly and his mother does the same. “Good. Now go ahead._ **

**_The child drops to his knees and crawls underneath the bed while the werewolf whips around with a sigh. She stills herself and begins stealthily walking out of the room and around the quiet house. Her cold eyes search for any sign of her enemies. The tense exploration leads her back around to the bedroom and just as her shoulders ease slightly she hears faint movement. Two intruders zip over to her but she grapples one and hurls him into a wall. Then she pounces and bites down into his hand. The vampire yelps out in pain as his partner tackles the woman, sending her tumbling back into the room._ **

**_He jumps on top of her and grabs her neck but she kicks him off with both feet. The force thrusts him into the wall and she moves swiftly to hold his body against it. Her fierce golden eyes glow brightly._ **

**_“Never mess with my family,” she remarks venomously. With that statement she chomps down into his shoulder with a fatal dose of her natural poison. The vampire is wide eyed as he sinks down in agony. Kennedy wipes at her mouth with the back of her hand and walks over to the bed. “Daniel,” she whispers._ **

**_From behind, the last attacker plows a hand through her ribs and extracts her once beating organ. Her face freezes in shock and her body slowly drops to the carpet. Daniel is confronted with the dead eyes of his mother but covers his mouth and holds back his tears. His ears alert him to a gang of heavy footsteps entering the bedroom. For a moment he shuts his eyes tightly and silence envelopes him. But then he is hastily dragged out from underneath the bed with a scream of terror._**  
________________________________________

Maxwell and Freya quickly arrive on the scene to discover the werewolf of their focus kneeling alone in the clearing. They both hesitate before determining that she’s in a more docile state. The blonde inches forward but allows the woman an ample amount of space to breathe.

“Keelin,” she questions with a soft drawl.

The wolf peeks from behind her hands and immediately shakes her head before hiding again. “Go away,” she orders sadly. The witch moves a little bit closer and lowers her head at her troubled partner. “Keelin, everything is going to be okay. You’ve done nothing wrong. Let’s just get you home where you’re safe,” she reasons. Keelin remains undeterred by the other woman’s attempt and Maxwell steps forward.

“Keelin, I was deserving of the punishment. I had no clue that you were already struggling…I just wanted to tell you the truth.”

The brunette stiffens at the offering of the man. Slowly, she pulls out from her hiding place behind her hands. “Maxwell? You’re…I thought you might be…” She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t even noticed him with her fiancée. The man nods in understanding and presents a melancholy smile. “I’m sorry that I scared you. But even if you wanted to banish me six feet under it’s simply not possible,” he states with regret. Glistening brown eyes question him in silence. “It’s a long story,” he adds.

Freya takes the opportunity to stride over to the werewolf before dropping down in front of her. The woman averts her eyes and scans the forest while realization seeps inside of her. Her family is gone.

“Freya, I saw them. My family was here, I saw all of them. Everything’s a constant reminder of all the bad things I can’t escape.”

The witch gives her a heartbroken look before gently holding her arms. “You have to confront your past and fears, Keelin. It’s the only way that you can relieve yourself of these visions,” she asserts. The younger woman casts her head down in misery as her partner speaks. “You’re strong and I know that you can do it. You’ll get through it and I promise that I’ll always be here for you no matter how far down you fall.”

It takes a moment but the conviction of the words finally sinks in. Freya sees the small nod of acceptance and quietly wraps her arms around the fragile woman. She’s obviously too exhausted to fight the loving embrace and the blonde reserves a second to selfishly appreciate that fact. Maxwell crosses his arms and watches the interaction closely without another word as Keelin is hit by the tide of her emotions.


	15. BLOODLINE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin comes up with a plan to cure Freya of her curse; Bridget magically seals Freya and Keelin in the farm shed to talk through their problems before assessing Mikaela's abilities; Maxwell and Bridget properly meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello people. Sheesh a person takes a weekend off to potentially destroy their liver and the search party is out. Haha I thought you guys were full after that long ass Malraux chapter but I guess not. Anyone the "long awaited" next chapter is here so don't you fear. Again if you don't like the angst dunno what to tell you cause their relationship is a rollercoaster from this point on.
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Mansionair - Easier: FLASHBACK of Keelin learning about the near extinction of her bloodline.
> 
> 2) Billie Eilish - Six Feet Under: Keelin gives her engagement ring back to Freya.
> 
> 3) Emilie Nicolas - Pstereo: Keelin vents to Bridget about Freya.
> 
> 4) Ruth B. - World War 3: Freya and Keelin argue over Freya's methods at the farm shed.
> 
> 5) J2 - Man in the Mirror: Bridget is visited by Maxwell while looking after Mikaela.
> 
> 6) Pacific Heights - Buried By The Burden: Freya and Keelin talk before sharing a kiss.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

**_“Murphy. You have someone here to see you.”_ **

**_Keelin peers up from her chart and shifts her weight from the desk she’s leaning on. “A patient,” she asks curiously. The older man shrugs, obviously uninterested. “He looks pretty banged up. Spooky looking even,” he offers._ **

**_“Be right there.”_ **

**_The resident follows the man until she detours off into the designated room for examination. There she finds a man of average height gazing at the diagrams on the wall. She knocks on the doorframe and clears her throat as to not startle the visitor. He promptly turns around to give his full attention._ **

**_“Hi, I’m Dr. Murphy. Is there a specific reason why you wanted to see me? I can’t recall ever treating you,” she starts while observing the man._ **

**_He has a prominent scar that extends from above his left eyebrow, down to his eyelid. A longer scar is swiped across his right cheek and his face is worn. She notices the cane in his left hand that he’s leaning against and deduces that he has suffered from both a hip and leg injury. At the last minute her eyes fall upon strange bite marks on his neck but he quickly covers them with the collar of his jacket._ **

**_“I know who you are,” he replies. Keelin raises an eyebrow but steps forward nonetheless. “Okay. Well, what can I do for you?”_ **

**_“You can start by listening closely to what I have to say. You are in danger,” the character states gravely._ **

**_The doctor falls back a little and tilts her head with a frown. “Is this some kind of joke? It’s not funny and Jeremy…is tasteless if he thinks this is going to scare me,” she responds. The last part is projected loud enough for her coworker to hear out in the hall. The stranger steps forward to stress the seriousness of the situation and the woman tenses up at his behavior._ **

**_“I swear to you that this is no joke. It took me ages to find you but I doubt it will take your enemies as long.”_ **

**_The comment sends the werewolf into defensive mode. “Okay, I’ve heard enough. You need to go now,” she orders. She tries to back out of the room but the man grabs her wrist. “You better get your hands off me buddy.” The force of her yanking away causes him to lose his balance but he catches himself lamely._ **

**_“You need to listen to me. I was left for dead by vampires. The same vampires that murdered my family, your sister and nephew,” he reveals._ **

**_Keelin is unsettled by the remark and grits her teeth in response. “Okay, show’s over. I’m calling security on your ass you sick bastard,” she affirms._ **

**_Just as she turns to leave he uses his free hand to pull out a necklace hidden beneath his clothes. He extends it out from his neck to show her. Brown eyes fall upon the sterling silver chain with the crescent moon pendant. The moon is made up of Celtic knots and the sight gives her stomach the jitters. Before she can even ask questions, the crippled man speaks up._ **

**_“Kennedy was going to be my wife. I wanted to get married sooner but she refused to do that without her family there to witness it. They’d been split up for a bit…it was your father’s safety precaution.” Keelin studies the man’s features and body language. It becomes clear that he’s telling the truth. He appeared to be absolutely broken at speaking her sister’s name. His hand is even shaking while holding up her good luck charm. “People turned on him. Vampires wanted him dead for what he was doing. As far as they were concerned he was some mangy mutt passing out lethal weapons for their demise. He was the first to be executed. Then your mother and brother. Then…my fiancée and her son,” he sadly explains._ **

**_The sudden news is a shock to the werewolf’s system and she feels herself starting to spin._ **

**_“Wha-what? What are you talking about? My family isn’t dead…they can’t be dead,” she says in disbelief. Her eyebrows furrow and she shakes the insane ideas from her head. AJ gives her a tortured look._ **

**_“Our neighbors always checked in on us. They were the ones to find us. I was more than halfway dead when I arrived at the hospital. For a while I hated myself for not protecting them, for surviving when I shouldn’t have,” he says. He pauses to look away for a moment and then continues. “After I recovered I tried to find the rest of your family. I learned that they were all gone. Through further research I realized that the vampire, Lucien had your entire bloodline eradicated. He took the venom he needed and murdered them all. You’re the sole werewolf left.”_ **

**_Keelin furiously shakes her head as tears begin to fall. Her own hands tremble as she grabs her head in distress. The man grips the back of her neck to get her to focus._ **

**_“I can’t tell you who I am. I don’t want to risk making a connection or leading a trail just in case they’re not done with me. For now, they have no plans of coming after you. It looks like you’ve managed to stay far away enough from the life your family built. But when they discover that you’re a Malraux, alive and well they will try to track you down. I can handle the technical aspects of making you a ghost but you need to go into hiding. Stay as far away from the supernatural community as you can. Don’t get too close to anyone. Absolutely no one can be trusted. Do you understand?”_ **

**_The woman gapes at the stranger as she desperately tries to process the information. It was all coming at her too fast. She couldn’t even make sense of it or all the things that she’s feeling. As much as she hoped and dreamed to be rid of her werewolf blood she would never go as far as wishing for the destruction of her line. She somehow feels responsible for their downfall. If only she had stopped fighting her heritage so hard when they needed her. Maybe all of her bad energy had doomed them all. It was her who was prophesized to be alone all because she couldn’t accept the part of herself that she deemed a monster._ **

**_And now she was left behind in the aftermath. AJ is more than aware of the woman’s involuntary coping mechanism going to work. The consternation and traumatic thoughts are written all over her face. So, he takes the moment to guide her further._ **

**_“This is all necessary if your bloodline is to continue on. They can’t win, not after what they’ve done,” he declares as his mind drifts to his lost love. Keelin seems to snap out of her haze momentarily._ **

**_“You’re saying that the fate of my line rests on me? That everything is in my hands? I have to pop out mystical werewolf babies like a modern-day Eve,” she questions frantically._ **

**_AJ digs through the teary brown eyes in front of him and promptly discerns the struggle within the young woman. His hand releases her neck and softly drops to her shoulder. “The weight of your family is no longer on you. You can choose to leave tomorrow and never look back. You can be free, whoever you want to be or unknown. It’s only your choice to make. But if you choose not to restart the line then the Malraux dynasty dies right along with you,” he proclaims._ **

**_The two bearers of great tragedy and a devastating burden stare back at each other with emotional brown eyes._**  
________________________________________

Keelin abruptly sits up in bed and allows her eyes to fully adjust to the darkness surrounding her.

The last few days have been a reflection period for her. Since her latest breakdown she didn’t know where to turn or where to go. Freya had tried to be a comforting presence but honestly it was harder now to feel completely safe in her hold. There was no trust and she simply couldn’t rid herself of the doubts between them. Bridget had sent her what seemed like a magical note for every hour, always encouraging her but giving her space. It was just what she needed. But through it all her guiding light was the amazing Mikaela Mikaelson.

The child had not left her side at any point. It was extraordinary how she could pick up on so much without seemingly realizing it. The toddler had given her an abundance of kisses, loving hugs, and even drew her comforting pictures of majestic scribbles. The previous day was spent playing bear-zilla and having a private princess party with the little hybrid. Her daughter could never fail to brighten the darkness within her and it was through those moments that she was able to reaffirm her purpose. Nothing else truly mattered as much as the safety and wellbeing of her light. The world would no longer turn and all hope would be gone.

So, it was up to her to guarantee the survival of her own. Mikaela is the last of her line and is the full embodiment of the strength within her blood. Without her she wasn’t sure that she would’ve had the will to continue on with her burden of being all alone. Just the thought of it all is fueling her with the drive and power necessary to fulfill her need. Defeat is no longer welcome as her daughter’s life depends on her actions.

She had to focus now. She had to be brave and fight for her baby, her little miracle. 

With the silent vow sworn into her heart, she pulls back the covers and slips out of bed to make her way to the kitchen. The light is on and at first, she furrows her eyebrows in confusion before sensing the restlessness of none other than Freya Mikaelson. The witch wasn’t particularly the best sleeper so it’s not all that surprising to see her up at night owl hours. Keelin pads into the space and finds the woman easing back into the counter while having a drink. Her eyes are downcast as she appears to be deep in thought.

“A little early for Jameson, isn’t it?”

Green eyes suddenly flit up to the werewolf as the older woman takes a moment to regard her. “From where I’m standing it’s perfectly late enough,” she retorts. The brunette offers a halfhearted smile before closing in on some of the distance between them. “I guess I can’t really argue with that,” she agrees. Freya grins softly before willing it away soon after.

“Is everything okay? I know that things haven’t exactly been easy for you lately,” she inquires genuinely.

“I think I’m screwing my head back on straight,” Keelin replies while nodding. “I know what I need to do and that’s all that matters.”

The blonde narrows in on her partner and gently sits her glass down on the countertop behind her. Her eyes question the other woman without the need for words. “I need to destroy this curse. The sooner, the better. I’m going to find Maxwell and figure this all out as soon as possible,” the wolf informs. The slight tensing of the taller woman is instantly displayed at the news. 

“I don’t think that seeing him is the best thing for you right now,” she suggests.

“Relax, I’m not gonna use him as a personal punching bag.”

Freya straightens up and knits her fingers together while gazing at the woman seriously. “I’m worried about you. I’ve never seen you react that way and I don’t want it to become this new thing. Your wellbeing in all aspects is important to me,” the Mikaelson states. The werewolf lightly sighs. “I wouldn’t say that you’ve _never_ seen me react with violence,” she remarks. The witch deflates a little at the clear reference but remains attentive. “And anyway, it’s my temper and aggression to reconcile. I don’t want anyone obligated to fix me.” 

“That doesn’t matter to me, Keelin. I provoked you and that was a consequence. It doesn’t change my vow to stay by your side. I’m committed to you, I’m all in.”

“There’s not a long list of people waiting to cohabitate with a creature of unpredictable rage. Maybe you should reconsider what matters to you.”

The taller woman walks up to her significant other and peers down at her with a soft expression. “Hey, don’t do that. I want to be _here_ , with _you_. I only want to protect you the best way I know how,” she says with conviction. Brown eyes stare back at her for a moment. “Whether or not my nature is an issue I’m more concerned with protecting Mikaela, in every way. That still means even from us, Freya.”

The witch withdraws at the statement with an eyebrow raised. “What do you mean,” she asks slowly. Keelin looks down while shifting her weight before focusing her attention on the woman.

“Our daughter’s survival is my main concern and I need to be as clear of mind as possible. You make that hard for me…and I just think that I need to take a step back…from all of the unnecessary pressures and stress,” the younger woman claims. Again, she looks down and fiddles with the engagement ring around her finger. She finally slips it off and presents it to the blonde who swallows thickly. “I can’t wear this while not knowing what I intend to do about this relationship.” Freya lifts her chin to compose herself but remains quiet.

“I’m trying my hardest to keep it together but I can’t lie to you or myself about what I’m feeling. I don’t know what will happen to us but right now I know that marriage is not in our immediate future. We’re just too broken for that commitment now. We don’t deserve that…Mikaela definitely doesn’t deserve that, a broken home,” the wolf admits.

She watches as her partner retreats into herself little by little like a tortoise in its shell. Hurting the witch was never her intention or goal but she couldn’t just float by as if nothing was wrong. Everything was wrong now and nothing was the same anymore. The woman remains silent with a downcast head and Keelin concludes that their conversation is over. So, she slowly backs away and carefully rests the engagement ring on the table. Her eyes look back up to observe the brooding Mikaelson and she waits until she is met with the slight flash of green eyes. Freya’s gaze is gone just as fast as it had been presented and the other woman sighs. “I’m sorry,” she offers. 

With a look of sympathy, she turns and walks out of the kitchen leaving the woman alone to reflect.  
________________________________________

“I can’t just be with her and act like none of this ever happened. She screwed with fate and she screwed with my trust. Our daughter’s life is on the line because of her decisions that she failed to include me in. Then she kept all of it a secret in hopes that I’d never find out. Meanwhile our baby was one step closer to danger every day.”

Bridget cautiously observes as her friend paces around the room while venting.

“So, is that it then? Your relationship is over with her,” she queries with care. “Of course not. I still love her. I will _always_ love her and I can’t exactly get away from her at this point. I need her to get through this but I just can’t imagine being the great loving wife anymore. We just need to be stronger for Mikaela’s sake.” The witch eases back into her spot on the couch. “So, you’re still together but with no intention of tying the knot?”

“I don’t know,” Keelin whines. She runs a hand through her hair and blows out air.

“Well, if you don’t _know_ then that means that you have no clue what the hell you’re doing in the first place. Maybe you could’ve thought about this more?” 

The werewolf finally pauses her movements to stare at her puzzled friend. “Aren’t you supposed to be on my side? It’s not like Freya is exactly Team Bridget.” The younger woman lightly rolls her eyes before sighing. “I’m on your side and you know that. This has nothing to do with her. I just want you to be sure about what you’re doing. The less damage done, the better. I just hate that Mikaela has to be caught in the middle of it all,” she expresses. Keelin crosses her arms to her chest and licks her lips.

“I hate it too. Which is why I’m doing something about it.”

“Hiding behind your anger is not doing something about it. There’s obviously things that you guys need to talk through. That’s where the real work begins,” the witch affirms.  
“Yeah, cause talking about our feelings and faults has been so successful thus far,” the wolf scoffs while shaking her head. Her friend suddenly rises to her feet and walks around the coffee table to stand right in front of her. She can see the seriousness in her eyes and knows that she’s in for the Bluntly Bridget treatment. The sting of truth is already assaulting her prematurely.

“Keelin, I love you but I’ve seen you in action with her. First, you talk but don’t listen. And then, you listen but don’t talk. While justifiable and understandable, it doesn’t present a solution for the problem. I know that you’re hurting and that it’s super hard to come to grips with for you. But if either of you are going to get anywhere with this then there should be a joint effort. I know you hate her guts right now but it’s the only way _towards_ something better,” Bridget asserts with reason. “You either want this or not.”

The smaller woman tilts her head quietly while gazing at her friend. “And for the record I’m not exactly Team Freya either but I know the bounds in dealing with her. Take notes.” Keelin unfolds her arms and lets them hang down at her sides with an incredulous look. “Well, sorry I’m not as wise and disciplined as you. But for right now one of the weights have been lifted and I’m feeling like I can actually breathe enough to think straight,” she throws back. Now she receives the same look of disbelief from the other woman.

“Oh really? Then why are we still playing ‘Will you, Won’t you’ days later?”  
Keelin eases back and forces a smile. “I have to go see Maxwell before he fades into obscurity…or Burlington,” she quips. Bridget grins with victory while playfully waving goodbye. 

“I thought so,” she remarks just before her friend leaves the home.  
________________________________________

Maxwell reluctantly opens the door to allow Keelin to enter and she walks into the place with purpose.

“How did you find me, Keelin?”

“I followed your scent,” she answers while looking around the room. The man has secured a fairly decent loft space on the far end of the village. There’s hardly any furniture and the temperature is high enough to battle the underworld. “It’s very distinctive and if you didn’t want me to find you then you wouldn’t have been found. So, here I am,” she states as she spins around to face him. He promptly quirks an eyebrow at her.

“You’re very calm for a werewolf here to bite my head off,” he remarks. 

The woman shakes her head at him. “I’m not here for that.” Maxwell observes her with a look of surprise and finds himself easing up a bit. “I know that you had no choice but to do what you did. Everything comes back to Freya and her bad decisions that are completely within her own control. I know that you want to protect Mikaela and I need all the help I can get,” she explains with shining eyes. The man nods in short and steps forward. 

“Regardless, I’m truly sorry for what I’ve been made to do. I more than deserved your wrath, even now.” The werewolf uses the moment to take in the evidence of her attack on him. Upon his face is the bandaged nose, a black eye, cuts, and some more bruising. It prods at her all over again so she decides to move on with her task, but not before placing an apologetic hand on his arm with a nod.

“Maxwell, we need to lift this curse. There _has_ to be some way. I mean it’s a curse and they’re meant to be broken right,” she questions desperately. Maxwell shakes his head regretfully.

“Just as I’ve told the witch many times before, it’s already done. I can’t reverse it. It’s never been done by anyone with the ability. Once I marked her blood, her fate was sealed.” They gaze at each other and a thought abruptly pops into Keelin’s mind. The male witch notices the lightbulb going off in her head and raises a curious eyebrow. “What is it,” he asks sharply. The woman lowers her eyes in thought before looking back up into his.

“You just said that you marked her blood, specifically right?”

The man nods affirmatively and zones in on her carefully before speaking up. “Yes, it’s a curse that directly targets her magical signature…leaving no way for her to truly utilize her abilities in the case of protecting her offspring. In my human targets it would just be their regular old DNA,” he explains with a shrug. The werewolf is slowly brightened by the light of her realization.

“Exactly,” she exclaims. “You cursed her blood, her genetic makeup. A curse is just a disease…meaning that there has to be a cure out there. I’ve made it my life’s work to find the antidote for disease. What if I reverse engineer the mark, completely altering the effects your magic has on her blood?”

Maxwell stares at her blankly. “I know nothing of the medical profession other than a few seasons of Grey’s Anatomy and Scrubs,” he quips in a dead tone. Keelin is amused by him but shakes her head to focus on her new discovery. “You want to save Mikaela from ever having to be this vulnerable again? You give me your DNA and everything else is up to me,” the wolf avouches. The man observes her closely for a moment.

“Well, if you’re sure that this will work,” he drawls with uncertainty. Keelin nods with newfound confidence causing him to return the gesture with his own growing determination.  
________________________________________

Keelin stealthily saunters into the farm shed with her medical bag hanging from her shoulder. She is met with the back of the blonde she is seeking out. “Here on a Hippocratic oath and I’m not taking no for an answer,” she quips semi-lightly.

With her back still turned to the woman, Freya bites her lip to keep from grinning. Sure, the wolf had called off their engagement leaving her utterly lost and a bit heartbroken. But since then throughout the up and down motion of their relationship, she was more inclined to actually talk to her as a regular person. Not just _the_ person that had ruined things for them. So, she was inclined to enjoy those rare little moments of normalcy. 

Her eyes stay fixed on her work as her newly somewhat separated significant other moves closer from behind. 

“What’s that? Today’s dark and craft project,” the werewolf questions while looking over the woman’s shoulder from a distance. The blonde slightly leans over the table stressfully. “Just trying to figure out what the cult is up to and if we’re at a safe distance,” she supplies. “Didn’t get much sleep last night…or the night before so…I found myself here.” Keelin sighs knowingly and redirects her attention to the closest window as the sunlight pours in. 

“I see,” she mutters. Freya has still yet to properly face her during the conversation and she knows that the state of their relationship has finally started to sink in for the tired witch. They stand in silence until she finally comes up inches away from the blonde who sharply spins around. “So, you’re here because why exactly?” The brunette shrugs before instantly answering. “Just for the _magic_ in your genetic makeup.”

“Ah, yes. Of course,” the older woman breathes out. The slightly frustrated tone doesn’t go undetected by the doctor and she releases her own irritated sigh. “I need samples of your blood. Sorry if it isn’t the grand romantic gesture you were counting on.”

Freya stares at her for a short moment and then spins back around into her original position. Both women look down at her work.

“I suppose that this can wait a little while longer.”

The witch moves around her work and slips up onto the wooden table. Keelin follows suit but settles on the right side of her before sitting her bag on top of the structure. Freya sits there without a sound as her partner rummages through her belongings. There’s something about the woman’s complete focus that has her in a bit of a daze. The slight furrow of her brow, the licking of her lips, and the strength in her stance. She looks breathtakingly beautiful and her knowledge of medicine is always intriguing to the blonde.

“I’m surprised that you asked to see me,” she admits out loud. Keelin pulls out the last of her tools and finally looks up at the woman who stares right into her eyes. “I have a plan that should destroy the curse. Mikaela comes first no matter what. And that includes within our differences.” Freya nods and looks down briefly. “Well, right now I’m ready to do anything.”

“Good because I have to make a cure. Let’s just hope that medicine prevails over magic in this case.”

The Mikaelson tilts her head at the remark. “I know that you can do it. If anyone can it would be you. I’ve failed time and time again,” she admits. The doctor readies her syringe before glancing up at her. “If you would’ve told me from the beginning we could’ve figured this out sooner, together,” she states. The tinge of resentment has the older woman casting her head down while tapping her fingers against the wooden table that she’s gripping.

“Keelin, I’m sorry. I know I can’t say that enough but I’m so sorry for what I did, for all I’ve done.”

The brunette fails to respond and instead quietly lifts Freya’s arm before drawing blood. The witch bites her lip as the other woman sighs deeply. When the syringe is full she empties it into a vial and repeats the process a few more times. After she’s done she cautiously places the group of vials into her bag. Freya jumps down from the table and gazes at her longingly as she slings the carrier onto her shoulder.

“That’s all I needed.”

“Keelin.”

“No, this changes nothing. If you thought that I was going to take your blood and proceed to take your undying love then you were wrong. Excuse me.” 

The werewolf tries to walk around her but is abruptly stopped. She keeps her gaze away from the intense green eyes fighting for her attention. “I really miss you, so much,” the blonde whispers softly. The words sound so passionate yet broken. They’re desperate but hopeful. Keelin closes her eyes when she feels the tug at her chest. Of course, she misses her just as much if not more. She misses the way that they were and all that they had. But she’s still reconciling with the fact that it sometimes feels like she hates everything about the woman in front of her. Everything is all rearranged and confusing.

“I can’t do this, Freya,” she claims with a shake of her head. “Not anymore. For now, there’s no _us_ in the way that we were. I can’t fully be with you when I can’t even decide what I’m feeling. Together there’s only destruction here but between us we created Mikaela. It’s all so messy. We share a kid and I love you for giving me her but that’s all that makes sense right now. You’re making this harder. I thought I was clear about this when I gave you the ring back. So please…stop.”

Freya stumbles back a little but gazes at her in denial. Suddenly she strides around to the end of the table and tries to fall back into her spells. The younger woman sighs with expert knowledge. Whenever the witch was in distress or wanted to run away from her problems, her spells were the go-to activity. The last thing she wants is a defeated Freya Mikaelson. She knows all too well that their broken engagement is hard on her because _she’s_ the one breaking her heart. 

“I didn’t mean stop trying to win me back only to plunge head first into something that’ll probably kill you,” the wolf remarks.

“I have other things to worry about rather than wonder if we’re still together or not,” the blonde throws back while focusing on her craft.

Keelin plants herself right in front of her while leaning over the side of the table to gain her attention. “Freya, regardless of our relationship status your daughter still needs you. Are you really willing to go back to the way you were before her? Late nights slowly killing yourself with stress and spells. Not eating, not living. You know how you get when you’re like this.”

“All I think about is my daughter. I don’t ever need a reminder of that, everything I do is for her. If this is what I’m to be met with then so be it,” she declares. “Freya, stop it.”

The witch ignores her demand and begins summoning her magic. Her green eyes focus on the totem ahead of her and the table shakes underneath her palms as she quietly chants the incantation. “Freya,” the brunette says firmly. The shaking becomes more rapid as the golden scepter gleams and the woman holds her focus. “I said stop it!” Keelin shouting into her face effectively breaks her concentration. 

She pulls out of her trance before an involuntary scowl takes over her features. The emotions floating within her are becoming too torturous to bear. Keelin no longer wants her but continues to hurt her with something so simple as her mere presence. Her back straightens up.

“Leave, Keelin. I’m honoring your decision so there’s no reason to be here anymore. You’re…”

“Getting in the way,” Keelin interrupts on instinct. 

Both women identify the full circle moment of the first time the werewolf was truly hurt emotionally by the eldest Mikaelson. Freya sighs and looks down with her hands still pressed against the surface of the wood. “Yes,” she breathes out. “Damn right I am. I won’t just stand by and let you tumble down the well. You have to do this right,” she demands. The blonde looks up at her and shakes her head.

“You do it your way and I’ll do it mine. Like you said we’re parents. As a mother I’m doing what’s best for my daughter. You can go now, I’m fine.”

“Freya,” she tries again.

“No! Just go,” Freya exclaims. She whips around with her back against the table. Keelin instantly closes her mouth and tilts her head sadly. A sigh releases into the air from the witch as she shakes the anger away. “Please, just go. I won’t go too far just…let me be alone okay.” The younger woman hesitates but knows that she’s only hurting her more by staying. So, with a silent nod she makes her way over to the exit as her estranged partner looks away to hide her newly forming tears. The werewolf pulls on the door handle but it’s stuck. She tries again but it’s still unmoving. Then she’s using all her might to yank it open with no results.

“Um, Freya.” The sullen person in question sighs deeply. “What, Keelin,” she asks exasperatedly. “I can’t get out. The door won’t open.” The wolf continues to pull with all of her strength to no end. The older woman shakes her head with frustration before coming up behind her and she promptly steps aside. With the allowed space, Freya attempts to open the door to no such success. “There’s magic sealing this,” she concludes simply. The smaller woman gazes up at her with a quirk of an eyebrow. 

“Of course, you told me to go. You knew that I had no choice but to stay.”

The witch ignores her and moves around to every window available noticing that they’re all magically sealed. Keelin then realizes that it’s not the woman’s own doing and starts banging on the door. “Hey, whoever’s out there! You’re messing with the patience of a strong werewolf! I won’t hesitate to kick your ass when I’m freed,” she exclaims.

The familiar sound of Mikaela’s giggle filters through the walls and it stops even Freya in her tracks. Both parents look at each other and the blonde comes over to saddle up beside her partner. “Mikaela? Mommy is sorry about that bad word. Please, don’t repeat it okay? Can you let me out now?”

“Keelin, don’t worry it’s me out here too. Also, I’m kinda insulted that you gave a one-year old credit for my work.”

Freya and Keelin share a glance of realization at the familiar velvety voice. “Bridget,” the latter inquires. “Undo this boundary spell,” the former fiercely demands. Bridget sighs whimsically. “You said that you wanted to work through things with Freya to be stronger for Mikaela. Well, here you go babe. Neither of you are leaving until you talk things out,” she declares with finality. “Now if you don’t mind, Mikaela and I have some ice cream to go eat. We’ll hopefully see you guys in decent condition later!” Freya angrily pounds on the door. 

“You’re not taking my daughter anywhere!”

“Just let it go, Freya,” Keelin sighs out.  
________________________________________

Looking over at her clock, Bridget can see that it’s been an hour since she left the troubled pair trapped in Freya’s hideout.

Usually she wouldn’t take such drastic measures to provide some good counsel on relationships, but her friend seemed so desperate yet stubborn about her situation. It was through all of the rants and venting she had endured for the past few days, that she realized she had to give the werewolf an extra push. She already knew what she wanted in the end no matter how much she let herself get confused. So, she decided to take it upon herself to give the woman no other choice but to obtain it. But of course, it was proving to be easier said than done.

In the meantime, she was focusing on the fledgling gifts that Mikaela possesses. 

The child is already well versed in her telekinesis albeit aggressive. She can easily send objects floating and flying around the room without prompting or coaxing. Bridget has already learned this the hard way by asking the toddler to join her as she magically picked up the toys in her loft. The activity started out nice until the force of the little hybrid’s magic created a virtual cyclone of stuffed animals and building blocks. She was just thankful that she hadn’t been faced with the fires she had heard about before.

Little Mikaela Mikaelson also had a knack for cloaking herself. The older witch had nearly had a heart attack when the baby vanished from thin air and subsequently reappeared behind her. But little did she know that she was dealing with a pureblood just as clever. The wide hazel eyes and little gaping mouth brought a hearty laugh to the caretaker as she seemingly teleported to keep up with her. In reality, it was just a simple trick of projecting her consciousness as bait but it brought satisfaction all the same.

The witch games have finally settled down and the hybrid is currently demolishing her tater tots. Bridget is making a mental note to inform her friend of the child’s progress when she hears a knock at the door. “I’ll be right back,” she says. The toddler proves to be preoccupied by the food and the woman grins at the mess on her face. She walks out of the kitchen and makes her way to the front to open the door. In the threshold stands the strange man that she had briefly seen the day of Keelin’s breakdown. They both throw each other surprised looks.

“Um, hi…Keelin’s not here right now,” the woman notifies.

“I was summoned to provide my blood for her latest venture. She seems to have a plan regarding the curse on Freya.”

“Last I heard about that she was going to see you for a solution. I guess you guys make a good team,” she points out. Maxwell offers a hint of a grin while pushing his hands into his pockets. “And anyway, she’s probably having a showdown with her as we speak. Feel free to hang around if you want though. I suspect that Freya won’t stand for the situation for too much longer.”

The man accepts the invitation and steps into the home as his acquaintance allows him in. He stands awkwardly by the door until the witch works her charm. “I’m just in the kitchen with Mikaela getting our eats on. I’ve heard that you two are well acquainted.” The mysterious figure briefly lights up at the mention of the magnificent child but soon becomes more defensive.

“You’re not afraid that I’ll bring harm to the great Mikaelson witch’s legacy,” he quips. The younger witch only smiles at him. “Please, you’re a six-foot-tall lamb sporting coats from Zara. My little protégé could definitely take you in a heartbeat.” Maxwell offers a small quirk of amusement before following her into the kitchen area. “And besides, I’ve temporarily rendered your magic inactive with a simple verse in my head,” she reveals with pride. 

“I was wondering where the certain taste of freedom came from,” he throws back.

His eyes soon fall on the hazel ones staring right back at him. “Max,” the toddler exclaims. Bridget watches intently while crossing her arms. “You have a fan I see,” she comments before gazing at him. “I assure you that I’m just as astonished as you, secret witch.” The caregiver rolls her eyes at the new nickname and the man comes to tower over the child in the highchair. “I’m fortunate to be seeing you again, Mikaela. Hello.”

Mikaela waves her little hand in greeting while raking her bright eyes over his form with fascination. Both adults smile softly until she gestures for him to come closer. Instinctively, the male witch looks back over to Bridget who’s mirroring his questioning features. After a moment he bends down to the little girl who immediately places her hands on his face. His body tenses but within seconds he’s in awe of the baby’s display of magic. The various injuries littering his countenance heal miraculously and when she’s finished she pulls back with an adorable grin.

“Good as new!” 

Maxwell promptly reaches up to grab his nose and finds that it is in fact in perfect condition. Dark eyes gaze down at the hybrid in genuine amazement. Bridget observes the prodigious moment silently while taking more notes on the incredible Mikaela Mikaelson.  
________________________________________

Keelin sits in a corner while hugging her knees to her chest as Freya paces around the room anxiously. “You’re starting to really work my nerves up, Freya.”

“I can’t believe that this is the person you trust. She sealed us in here with magic. And I’m the one who takes your freewill?” The witch continues to pace causing her annoyed partner to sigh in exasperation. “She’s only trying to help, given it’s in her own dire way. Unlike you she’s only doing what I asked for. I practically talked her ear off about wanting things to be settled with you so here we are. I just had no clue that she would go to extremes for that,” the werewolf states.

“Yeah or she’s planning something with Mikaela. I need to get out of here but this barrier…”

Freya strikes at the door with her fists causing the force field to spark outward. “Okay, just stop. If she wanted to harm our daughter she would’ve done so by now. You just can’t seem to fathom someone else caring about her just as much as you do.” The blonde shakes her head and turns around to face the sitting woman. “I didn’t mean that you don’t care about Mikaela as much as me. I just meant that I knew you would never go to the same lengths in order to protect her like I would,” she explains. Keelin shrugs and clasps her hands. “You’re right. I would _never_.” The older woman turns away in disappointment.

“Well, you obviously don’t want anything to be settled so why don’t you call it off. Tell her to release us.”

“I’m sorry, you want to control this situation as well?” 

“Keelin, we don’t have time for this. I should be working on a way to keep our baby safe,” the witch asserts. The brunette can feel her impatience with the woman waning as the domineering personality pushes her buttons. “Right now, she is safe. And that’s no thanks to you if we’re being honest here.” A pang of hurt swipes across the Mikaelson’s face. She knows that things are starting to escalate. “Keelin,” she tries.

“No. Freya, you killed someone. You murdered two innocent people and got a target placed on our daughter’s head. You may be able to live with that truth but I’m not. I hate knowing that because I gave birth to an extraordinary child I indirectly helped cause this,” Keelin admits sadly. 

She holds her head in her hands while shaking it. Freya rocks her own and gets down on her knees in front of the stressed woman. “No. Our daughter is not a regret. I would never take her back and you shouldn’t either. We created her together and she’s the most important thing here.” 

The younger woman lifts up her head. “I could never regret her. I just hate myself for bringing her into this cold world. I knew just how bad it could get and she doesn’t deserve any of it.” The witch tilts her head sympathetically. “I wanted to protect her from it. The universe deals out unmerciful struggle and my lifetime is proof of that. I couldn’t let the same things or worse happen to her,” she softly upholds.

Keelin laughs humorlessly. “Yeah and look where that got us,” she retorts while gazing at her. “I don’t want to fight anymore, Keelin. We shouldn’t be clamoring amongst each other, we should be combating our enemies,” the blonde pleads. “ _Your_ enemies,” the wolf corrects bitterly. Green eyes pour into brown as Freya lowers her head toward her partner who sighs heavily.

"I don’t want to fight you either but it’s hard. I took an oath to save lives, you just seem to destroy them.”

“I don’t take pleasure in it.”

“That doesn’t make it any better. It makes it worse, Freya. What is _even_ the point of causing so much pain that torments you in the end? Huh,” the doctor questions emotionally. Freya gazes at her passionately for a few moments. 

“Love,” she proclaims simply.

The werewolf tilts her head and finds herself unable to look away from the expressive woman. The powerful and hypnotic eyes are pulling her into the undertow with each passing second. It’s like so many looks they’ve shared even before getting into a relationship. In fact, it’s just like those moments with the push and pull, the passion and desire rumbling just underneath the surface. It would never go away so long as they breathed the same air. They were like magnets that forever attracted each other. Destined to pull one another in just to push away when they got too close.

Instinctively, Freya begins to lean in and though hesitant, Keelin doesn’t turn away. She wearily accepts the offering of the blonde’s lips and instantly finds herself adrift in the stormy waters. The woman was always the storm that rearranged her very being. The witch deepens the kiss and a few seconds later, Keelin jerks herself away while shaking her head in protest. Just another moment and she would’ve been lost at sea.

“No,” she states firmly. “You can’t just rely on your _profound_ love to lessen the blow. You can’t just kiss me and expect me to forget. I don’t trust you anymore. I _can’t_.” 

Freya is wearing the same uneager expression she has whenever Keelin is adamant about fighting. It’s because the woman is willing to fight her now in the face of unspeakable danger. It feels like the end of the discussion and life as they know it. Her wounded heart won’t even allow her to speak on it, to fight back. So, she gets up to her feet and moves back to the sealed door. She gathers up her concentration and strikes the barrier one last time with a fatal blow, finally allowing herself an exit from the farm shed.


	16. GODS & MONSTERS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin cures Freya; Bridget is alerted to the presence of a powerful adversary; Freya confronts Bridget about her role in the dissolution of her relationship; After a close call, Bridget and Freya team up to destroy the agent of Keelin's torment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a migraine and I don't know what life is but here you go. Freya dun done it again.
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Emmit Fenn - Stones: After Keelin cures Freya she questions her methods.
> 
> 2) Lupa J - Dirty Skin: Freya confronts Bridget with accusations of ruining her relationship with Keelin.
> 
> 3) Astrid S - Hurts So Good: Freya and Keelin argue before sleeping together.
> 
> 4) MILCK - The World is Unraveling: Freya accidentally sends Bridget to a form of purgatory.
> 
> 5) Daughter - Smother: Keelin asks Freya where Bridget is.
> 
> As always check out the tumblr for the good stuff or message me!
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

“Now that I’ve administered the hopeful cure…it’s time to test the results.”

Keelin grabs an old whistle from the table and holds it up. Green eyes fall upon the object. “An antique,” Freya asks incredulously. “Not just any old creepy antique. It belongs to Maxwell and it’s infused with his magic. He told me that his targets are all kept on a tight leash whether or not they know it. It’s supposed to have some effect on you.” The blonde rolls her eyes at the reminder of the man’s hold on her.

“Yeah, he didn’t exactly hesitate to show me that little detail,” she retorts. She looks up at the doctor standing over her with focused eyes. “So, are you ready,” Keelin inquires. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” The werewolf nods and holds the object out toward her. At first there’s nothing but then the whistle begins to glow and Freya instantly feels the burning sensation in her blood. She doubles over in agony and the younger woman immediately pulls the item back while looking at her contorted features. “Freya! I’m so sorry. I thought it would work for sure,” she apologizes.

Freya subtly lifts her head up to gaze at her estranged partner. Her breaths are heavy as she grasps her sides. “It wouldn’t be the first time hope was crushed,” she lets out. Keelin tilts her head with a disappointed expression. “I have to figure this out. It’s up to me and we’re running out of time.” She begins packing up her things frantically and the older woman quietly watches her from her spot on the chair.

When she whips around too fast she nearly tips over until the blonde catches her just in time by the waist. Keelin is involuntarily leaning over her with an inexplicable wave of heat between them. Their sudden closeness causes the doctor to pull back awkwardly and she swallows hard. The confused and crestfallen face of the sitting woman doesn’t go unnoticed as she quickly regains her composure.

“Um, yeah I need to go work more on this now,” the wolf remarks.

Mystical intuition floods into the witch as she gazes up at the brunette. “Try it again,” she states. Skeptical brown eyes look at her and she softly sighs. “Just trust me. Give it one more try.” The werewolf tilts her head with disapproval. “Are you serious? It’s obviously not working.” The older woman shakes her head. “You don’t have to have faith. But I have a feeling that this is it,” she asserts. The pair stare back at each other in silent competition for several moments until the doctor gives in with relaxing shoulders. She warily reaches into her bag and pulls out the whistle.

“Please, tell me there’s a preferable endgame to your masochism.”

Freya throws an unamused look at the quip with a slight tilt of her head. Keelin sighs before readying the object again. “Okay,” she breathes out. Once again, she extends it toward her target and faintly cringes in anticipation. Within moments, wonderment drapes over her as she realizes that her subject no longer holds a reaction to the magical item.

A hint of a smile plays across the witch’s lips and the werewolf can’t stop her own from making an appearance. “We did it,” the doctor gushes. “I can’t believe you’re cured.”

“You did it,” the blonde reaffirms. The woman standing above her bites her lip before looking down and shaking her head. “It’s meant to give you immunity as well but somehow I find that wishful thinking.” Freya watches her intently and wagers her own dignity by gently grabbing onto the woman’s dangling hand. It effectively gains her attention as she instantly looks up at her.

“Hey, you did this all on your own,” she replies with a nod. “And I don’t doubt that it’s completely successful. Regardless, our daughter can now be protected by my magic. All because of _you_.” 

Keelin carefully slips her hand away to tuck some of her curls behind her ear. “The more protection we have means that she is given a fighting chance. I don’t want a badge of honor for that,” she remarks. Her eyes then roam over the space as the newly cured woman backs off and she spots the golden scepter on the shelf. “I hope the working from home doesn’t commence with her present.”

Emerald eyes attempt to gauge the source of the sudden displeasure and the wolf gestures her head several feet away from them. Freya follows her eyeline to the dark weapon and sighs accordingly.

“I never conjure those spells when I have her. You know that.”

“I don’t know,” the brunette responds while shrugging. “Last time we talked about it you were pretty set on doing things your way. It’s hard to really measure your idea of safety, isn’t it?”

The Mikaelson looks away with frustration before leering at her partner seriously. “How long am I going to be the wicked witch in your eyes? I can take the punishment of facing what I’ve done but now…you look at me like I wouldn’t do anything and everything I could to keep her from harm,” she claims with a disheartened expression. 

“Your punishment is not just your own, Freya. Did you forget that I had to figure things out from the breadcrumbs you left? I had to drag my friend into this mess just to get a clear picture of your dirty work. The icing on the cake was talking to a dead man. All of that was necessary because you thought that hiding the fact that you put so many people in danger was for the best. Myself and our unborn child included. Do you really get how that makes me feel as a mother? I trusted you to protect us, to allow us to be a team _then_. How am I supposed to completely believe in that now?” 

The witch tries to formulate a rebuttal that never comes. Although in her heart she feels that she did whatever it took to protect her family she knows that the mistrust is warranted. It was true that her methods were risky. Keelin waits in the silence for a minute before gathering her things. Then she swiftly turns to leave as Freya looks to the floor below her.  
________________________________________

A cellphone chimes loudly and Bridget bends down to grab it from the table with Mikaela perched on her hip.

“Hey, what’s up,” she greets before smiling at the singing toddler. 

Soon a deep voice filters through the speaker in response. “Oh nothing, just going for a run,” Greg responds casually. The woman displays a bored look at nothing. “Well, shouldn’t you be…I don’t know running or something,” she asks offhandedly. The werewolf takes in her lukewarm tone and continues. “Well, I was until I got distracted by the beautiful new scenery,” he pauses for a second. “In case you didn’t catch my sarcasm, I’ve stumbled across something that you need to see. Now.”

Bridget pipes up at the urgency of the man. “I’ll be there in ten. I have to get KC over here to look after Mikaela.” The call is disconnected and she immediately taps on the familiar contact before holding the phone to her ear. Mikaela chatters away mindlessly while playing with her caretaker’s necklace.

“Hey, KC. I need a little favor from you.”  
________________________________________

Greg and Bridget stand side by side while observing the blood colored and eradicated trees in the woods. What was once a vibrant area full of the strong and wise plants is now a large clearing of devastation. “Why would reapers be here now after so many years? Not like there’s any werewolves left to torture.” Bridget crosses her arms as she looks up to her friend beside her. “Hey, I’m just as confused as you,” she answers. “No one’s gone missing. Has anyone been acting strange?”

“Other than the usual small town quirks? No, not to my knowledge. You’d think it’d be easy to find a couple of people bursting at the seams right about now,” Greg quips. The witch sighs deeply. “Well, then I guess we’re not dealing with a horde. Still someone should be affected if the little bastard has been here for a bit.”

“Yeah and quite frankly losing it to illusions of guilt. Hey, did Baptiste seem especially delusional to you today,” the man jokes.

Bridget ignores the jest and settles into deep thought. Her instincts kick in and soon she’s confronted with some of her interactions with Keelin over the course of knowing her. _The visions of her kills, the guilt about her nature, her struggle with her past, the prodding loss of her family, her high-strung behavior, and finally her latest breakdown._

A gasp escapes her lips and the werewolf next to her promptly shoots a curious look in her direction.

“That definitely sounded like a gasp of realization,” Greg notes out loud. The woman gazes up at him with sudden energy. “I think I might know who the victim is. Thanks for showing me this,” she hurriedly exclaims. Without further explanation, she runs away back toward civilization leaving her confused friend behind.

“You’re…welcome.”  
________________________________________

Bridget is quietly reading through her historical books and grimoires when frenzied knocking tears her out of deep concentration. She instantly closes them and makes her way to the front door. Upon opening the barrier, she is met with the spiteful gaze of Freya Mikaelson. The older witch allows herself into the home without so much as an invitation first and the homeowner closes the door behind her with a sigh.

“Come in, make yourself at home,” she offers sarcastically.

Once inside of the living room, Freya whips around angrily to face her. “Because of you my relationship with Keelin is over,” she spits venomously. The younger witch crosses her arms defensively with a blank expression. “How predictable. I’m the first to receive your blame. Never mind the issues that existed long before my presence.” The Mikaelson steps closer with straightened shoulders.

“We were fine before you came along, inserting yourself into our lives,” she growls ferociously.

The shorter woman challengingly steps forward with no plans to back down from the false accusations. “No,” she reclaims firmly. ”You were _lying_ to her to cover your own ass. Even if you truly were trying to protect the good in her or save her the burden, you can’t deny that a part of you was so sure that she’d never forgive you for what you’ve done.”

Freya clenches her jaw furiously while shaking her head at the statement. 

“You can waste time blaming me all you want but that’s never going to change anything. I don’t go where I’m not wanted. Keelin needed someone, she needed a _friend_. I didn’t even want to get involved in your drama but you know what? When it comes to helping someone you care about, that’s what you do. In the end I’m glad that I did because she had a right to know about your secrets.” 

The words are relentless and the blonde abruptly raises an offensive hand to her opponent. Bridget is unflinching and stands tall with her chin raised defiantly. “So, you’re just going to shut me up like Ruben? Just completely erase me from the happy story you’re desperately trying to rewrite? You’d really kill me with your innocent daughter right in the other room,” the dark eyed woman questions mercilessly.

Green eyes widen at the razor-sharp inquiries and the younger witch takes the opportunity to grab at the Mikaelson’s wrist with power flowing through her body.

“Let. Go,” the blonde warns.

“I could scramble your mind right here, right now but I’m not going to do that. Keelin’s in trouble and I’m not in the mood for your pointless blame game,” Bridget declares.

At the mention of her one true love, Freya helplessly softens her features and her match drops a hand from her wrist. After the hold on her is released she speaks up with concerned eyes. “Keelin is in trouble,” she questions softly. The younger witch nods benevolently. “Greg discovered deadwood in the forest. It’s the telltale sign of a reaper presence,” the short-haired woman announces. “I thought about any potential targets and that’s when I realized that Keelin has been displaying the symptoms of a victim.”

Freya tilts her head inquisitively and the tension between them begins to dissipate a bit. The caretaker reserves the moment for a proper explanation. “Reapers are ancient creatures created by witches who were cast out from the supernatural society. They wanted to seek vengeance on those who wronged them. These beings are capable of dredging up the darkest parts of your past and turning your own mind against you. Then when that loses its entertainment value they go in for the kill, literally.”

The blonde visibly hardens at the new knowledge. “I have to go find Keelin.” She goes around Bridget but feels herself being tugged back by the arm and spins around to face her.

“Honestly, I’m not sure that seeing you right now would help her,” she sighs. “It’s not my place to tell you this but I’d rather for her to be mad at me than suffering any more than she already has. She’s been struggling, Freya. Even before your secrets got out she was battling her unresolved guilt. And I encouraged her to talk to you about it. All the stuff with her past and family has really affected her. And I’m afraid of what it could lead to now that I know the true extent of it.”

The older woman examines the perturbed features of the other witch. The abundance of care within her eyes is more than evident and she finally sees why Keelin holds the woman so dear to herself. “All the more reason for her to be under my watch. If you truly care for her then you’d find it necessary for her protection,” Freya responds finally.

“We can’t alarm her and _you_ can’t corner her. She has already been affected by the reaper. I’ve been working on a plan to weed it out and destroy it but you _have_ to trust that I’ll get it done,” the caregiver retorts before pausing. “The best thing you can do is give her the space she needs. I promise that you’ll be the first person I contact once the time comes.”

The Mikaelson silently observes the shining eyes and beseeching tone that’s confronting her head on. Deep down she knows that her rival is right. Approaching Keelin in her own manner has proven to be ineffective many times. It would only frustrate the werewolf more and she couldn’t have her flying off the rails right now. So, with these final thoughts she reluctantly nods in agreement and allows the shorter woman to relinquish her arm. 

Suppressing her own habit of jumping in front of her soulmate would have to be done. However, she’d never be able to sit around ignoring her instincts. There had to be something that she could do in the meantime. With the conclusion drawn and a decision made, she looks right ahead at the woman quietly observing her.

“I trust that you’ll keep Mikaela safe in my absence,” she supplies calmly.

Bridget nods straight away. “Always.” Freya returns the gesture shortly and swiftly leaves the home on a mission.  
________________________________________

Freya arrives at her home and walks right into the calm space. After being advised not to overwhelm Keelin, she figured that the next best thing was to investigate deeper into what’s been happening to her. With the new knowledge of the woman’s esoteric torment, all of the tumultuous emotions she has been experiencing finally has another layer of sense added to it. 

Of course, the connection was made to the emergence of Mikaela’s own werewolf gene but all of the visions that followed had sent her partner into a downward spiral. There is now a certain relief she feels knowing that the whole struggle wasn’t just conjured up by the brunette’s mind, but instead by the will of a malevolent creature that she will personally annihilate herself. It does little to ease the guilt she feels about not discovering the issue sooner however.

She makes her way to the bedroom recalling the werewolf’s skittish behavior the day she learned about her first kill. It was also the site where she had found her unconscious before hearing the claims of encountering her deceased grandmother. There had to be some meaning behind it.

Upon entering, she scans the area accordingly. Everything is in its rightful place due to both women spending virtually no time in the room as of lately.

The witch’s steps are cautious, as if one wrong move could send the territory into instant destruction. It doesn’t take very long for her to realize that finding the truth the old-fashioned way wasn’t going to cut it. Instinctively she halts her movements and closes her eyes to concentrate her extra senses. A supernatural vibration points her to the lowest drawer in the bedside table closest to the doorway. Her eyes open and she moves over to the furniture before crouching down in front of it. Then she accesses the drawer to sift through the various belongings: a silver watch, a pile of paperwork, a couple of books, and finally a brown leather journal. The moment her hands touch the daybook she instantly feels an intuitive shift within her mind and body.

Present within this journal is something that she’s looking for. Without wasting any more time, she withdraws the strap keeping it closed and flips it open to gaze at its contents. It becomes obvious that it’s a logbook tracking the progress of Keelin’s cure for weeks. How had she not known just how far her then fiancée was going to ease her pain? It suddenly makes her feel more than inadequate and utterly clueless. She shakes her head at the somber discovery. While continuing to flip through the logs, her focused eyes fall upon detailed descriptions of what she concludes to be the woman’s hallucinations.

 _Her first kill at Harland’s. The nightmares. The ravaged man at the hospital. The late Patty Malraux seemingly in the flesh._

Freya begins to drown so deep in the torturous revelations that her senses subdue to the world around her. Unbeknownst to the witch, the reaper is struggling to break the boundary protecting the home. He strikes with great force to no avail before pacing in front of the door. After a few moments he rams into the structure with all of his power and successfully breaches the barrier. 

Meanwhile, the blonde abruptly looks up from the journal in her hands and quickly slips it back into its designated place. She gathers herself up to her feet and leaves the room in route to the front. Just as she’s about to enter the family room she spots a strange looking figure that causes a shadow of despair to cast over her. A hunch forewarns her not to act on impulse and instead she cloaks herself. The stranger peeks into the kitchen before walking through the family room and into the hallway, passing the woman by.

He strides along until he gets to the bedroom and promptly enters. Green eyes widen and the witch slowly makes her way toward her target with an outstretched hand. When she’s close enough she leans against the wall next to the doorway and readies herself for a surprise attack.

Keelin suddenly lets herself into the home with her bag on her shoulder and closes the door behind her. She walks through the family room and drops her bag onto the couch as she strolls toward the bedroom. With her back facing the werewolf, Freya doesn’t notice her presence at first but she efficiently grabs her before she can enter just in time.

The smaller woman feels the panic seeping into her and begins to fight the hold until she takes in the familiar scent of none other than Freya. Her sense would never allow her to forget the unique aroma. “Shh. It’s okay,” the witch hushes quietly. Keelin’s body is pressed forcefully back into her partner’s as she keeps her close and channels her magic. 

“Freya, what the _hell_ are you doing? I thought you wouldn’t be here and why are we whispering? Don’t tell me that we’re back to the prisoner-captor scenario,” the wolf whispers back with irritation.

The blonde continues to hold out her free hand while ignoring the woman. Suddenly the eerie looking man exits their bedroom and walks past them. A small gasp flees from the werewolf and the reaper stops abruptly, whipping his head around toward the noise. Brown eyes go wide with fear and Freya lowers her head into Keelin’s hair before pushing her focus. 

The man walks back to the bedroom and pops his head in through the threshold to inspect the place. When he’s satisfied he eventually turns to glide by the two invisible women and out of the home. The brunette is finally liberated and spins around out of the embrace with her newfound freedom. Her body language is tense as she presents questioning eyes to the witch. 

“What the hell was that, Freya?” 

“Someone that’s been toying with you apparently. He’s been keeping a distance so if he’s now going through your things that must mean there’s some bigger ploy,” the witch sighs.

“I’m not following. What do you mean by toying with me?”

“Keelin, I know that you’ve been injecting yourself with treatments. It’s only weakening you.” Keelin’s mouth gapes but she recovers quickly. “Well that’s kind of the point. And anyway, I stopped after finding out that there’s a maniacal cult after our daughter so.” Freya shakes her head. “Your gene was already damaged to an extent before. We don’t know what more has done to you.” 

“Well, I _know_ that I didn’t want to be a monster anymore. Especially with my own daughter’s inevitable triggering looming over her. But I made the choice to put her safety first and stop. Why does this even matter now,” the werewolf questions agitatedly. 

“The _man_ you just saw is an ancient creature called a reaper. They were created by rogue witches according to Bridget. He has been clawing at your inner struggles with being a werewolf. That’s why you’ve been seeing your significant kills and family,” the older woman explains.

Dead silence sweeps over the pair as Keelin processes the information. The fact that her torment has been caused by some terrifying creature of mayhem is unsettling enough but, she finds herself hanging onto the last sentence. “How do you know that,” she inquires with a tilt of her head. The taller woman sighs deeply.

“I just found out not too long ago when I saw it in your journal.”

The werewolf scoffs in disbelief. “Wow, great. So, it wasn’t enough to screw up our family? You just had to go through my personal things like the supernatural police?” Her rhetorical questions are promptly dismissed. “Why would you keep this from me? I could’ve helped before you made such drastic decisions regarding your body, Keelin.” The sentiment does nothing to quell the younger woman’s anger.

“Last I recall you were hiding things from me for over a year, world shattering things. So, aren’t you the pot calling the kettle black?”

Freya shakes her head at the mud throwing. “I was protecting you. It wasn’t about being right or wrong, it was about choosing sacrifices. I couldn’t let you bear that burden.” Keelin steps to the woman aggressively. “And I was _protecting_ Mikaela but I guess we were both wrong. I’m just glad that the sacrifices I choose, don’t negatively affect the people I love in the process,” she tosses out. The blonde turns away from the spiteful glare plastered on her. “And since you’re suddenly consulting with Bridget now, does she even know what you were up to?”

A beat of silence envelops the space as Freya remains quiet and Keelin laughs bitterly.

“She was worried about you, said that you’ve been failing to tell me about what’s been happening to you. She didn’t feel as if it was her place to tell me but she also didn’t want anything bad to transpire,” she finally speaks up. The wolf crosses her arms defensively in response. “So, I came here to look for anything I might’ve missed and found your notes. Your friend, Greg had told her about the deadwood in the forest and she put it all together.” The brunette refuses to utter a single word so Freya steps closer. “This is dangerous. He was able to override my boundary spell and they’re known to torture before the kill. It’s mental and emotional, the worst kind. You know that I’ll never stop protecting you,” the witch declares.

“That’s funny cause all you’ve been doing is hurting me. Now you finally saw the inner workings of my mind that you so desperately needed to know about. Are you happy now? You get to play the hero and pretend you’re not a villain,” she retorts with bite.

"Keelin, you're letting your emotions get in the way. Hate me all you want but this is bigger than us." The werewolf briefly turns around in frustration before turning back to lightly push at Freya's chest. "The whole reason I'm in so much pain is because I can _never_ hate you. I'm literally freaking tied to you by spirit, Freya. This is what my life has become. Not trusting the one person in the entire universe that I'm supposed to be with."

"But you can trust me when I say that I won't lose this family. I won't lose either of you."

Freya pleads with her eyes and even though Keelin can see all the truth that resides within them, memories of all the lies keep plaguing her. Freya had looked at her with those very same eyes and kept so many secrets for so long. Keelin sighs.

"I need some space to breathe,” she states firmly. Without another word, she tries to walk around the woman but is pulled back by the arm and confronted with those haunting green eyes. She tilts her head softly as she succumbs to defeat. "Dammit, Freya."

Keelin forcefully kisses the source of her emotional strife and instantly feels strong arms wrapping around her back. The kiss is fevered and desperate, the culmination of the feelings she’s been trying to keep at bay. Freya strips the woman of her jacket and she follows suit by pulling off Freya's leather one. The werewolf aggressively backs her lover into the wall behind them. She opts to devour her right then and there but feels the taller woman fighting for dominance.

The blonde gently cradles her face while attempting to slow their pace. Without warning, she is detached from the lips she’s craving and opens her eyes to look into daring brown ones. The curly-haired woman grabs her wrists and pulls her into the room before pushing her down on the bed. She tugs her own shirt up and over her head before flipping her thick locks. Then she moves to straddle her partner. They work together to remove Freya’s shirt and the latter takes the opportunity to flip their positions. The action surprises the brunette who lets out a slight gasp that gains a sly smirk from the witch.

Warm brown eyes peer up into sparkling green eyes as the cocky grin disappears and is replaced with a yearning gaze. After a moment the Mikaelson lowers her head and Keelin grasps her neck to meet her halfway in an amorous kiss.  
________________________________________

Freya scans the home, releasing a protective herb as she goes before finally making her way back to her bedroom. 

There she finds the owner of her heart sitting on the bed while buttoning up her fresh shirt. The witch steals a glance and smiles as Keelin is looking down, focused on the task at hand. Suddenly a loud bang alerts them both and the werewolf jumps to her feet. The older woman raises a hand to stop her from advancing.

"I'll go, you stay here."

"Freya," Keelin asserts. "You're not in control of me. Don’t let a moment of weakness fool you."

With that she makes her way past the blonde on a mission to confront the disturbance. Freya trails behind her fiercely. "Keelin!" The brunette ignores the call and tears open the front door ready to attack but finds Bridget standing there with Mikaela in her arms. Her friend looks at her with inquisitive eyes.

"Um, I tried calling you both. Did I interrupt something?"

Keelin shakes her head wordlessly and accepts the toddler reaching out to her. Freya stays awkwardly behind but speaks up.

"So, how do we get rid of the reaper?" Bridget stares back at Freya.

"We demonstrate the scorn of two persistent witches."  
________________________________________

Bridget and Freya trek through the woods with the former leading the way. "Once we finish drawing the lines and activating the circle he won't have anywhere to go. Now depending on whether or not he has a master we can plot the following move." The woman stops and looks at Freya who stares back at her. "We don't know if he's actually a part of some bigger plot or just some rogue troublemaker. It's best that we approach this with leveled heads. Alright?"

The blonde tilts her head and eyes her incredulously. "I'm not some inexperienced witch. I'm pretty sure that I have thousands of years on you." The younger witch feigns surrender at the remark.

"No need to whip out the yard stick to measure our magical packages. I get it, you're way older and more jaded about life but where I come from the power's in the strategy. We make something of nothing. One thing I've learned about you is that you let your emotions counteract the true task at hand. You need to see the forest for the trees if this is going to work,” she advises.

The Mikaelson strides right past her and draws the final line.

"So, you learn quickly. Good, then you know how passionate I am about protecting what's mine. I do what is right for their safety at the end of the day. Sure, I've hit stumbling blocks along the way but that is always my main priority. I don't sleep in fear of it. Surely you can understand that?"

The shorter woman steps up to her. "And that attitude of 'I'm just an uber witch that can't do no wrong when I'm protecting my family' is what got you here. No one's telling you to throw your strength to the wayside, I'm actually telling you to do the opposite. Focus it. Think before you do sometimes. Also, the last thing you have to worry about is me stealing your family away from you. So, ease up why don’t you."

Freya observes Bridget intently then suddenly grabs her wrist, pushing it down. The latter glares at her but is alerted to their visitor. They both use telekinesis in unison to drag the reaper into the nearby circle before hurrying to either side and activating it with two pairs of outstretched hands.

"Nice of you to join us. Although I can't say that you will enjoy this encounter,” Freya greets with a proud smirk. 

The Allentown witch focuses on the man seriously. "Why are you targeting my friend?" The reaper smirks devilishly. "Oh, because it's fun of course." The blonde rocks her head and begins gathering her magic which doesn't go unnoticed by her temporary ally.

"Freya! Don't."

The hot-tempered woman clenches her jaw at the firmness of the command but holds back in the end. The reaper smirks between them with satisfaction.

"Now, let's try this again. Do you have a master,” Bridget inquires. "I only serve myself, not some wretched witch." She raises her eyebrows at the answer. "Okay then someone has some mommy issues. If you're not part of some bigger scheme then why torture, Keelin? Why her?" Both women wait for his reasoning. One is impatient while the other is practical, willing.

"I said that I serve no one but myself. However, I have come to know that she is the mother of a special child, a savior. While I don't care too much for the illustrious fantasies of humans, I do know that the child is capable of many feats. I want life not death. I'm sick of being reminded of my misfortune,” he states irritably.

Bridget noticeably draws back and her partner narrows her eyes. "You want to be human?" Freya scoffs at the revelation and ignores Bridget's empathy.

"So, the zombie wants a beating heart? I guess we are living a fairytale."

Her remark goes ignored by the other woman present. "That's a desire unlike the rest of your kind. Still doesn't answer why you would hurt Keelin or what her being the mother of Mikaela has to do with it." The reaper sighs in annoyance. "I needed to gain the attention I wanted somehow. And as for the child, she's a symbol of rebirth. I want her to make me whole again."

The younger witch raises an eyebrow as the blonde grows impatient with a roll of her eyes. "What do you mean whole again?" The man smirks knowingly. "Witches created a monster from my perished bones. And as much as I hate your devilish kind it will take a very powerful one to reverse that curse."

"Those were rogue witches. We're not all so cruel. They were never written to be forgiven figures of our history."

The reaper scoffs. "That is not my concern now. I want the child's gifts." Freya finally chimes in with ferocity. "Never. You'll never get close enough to my daughter. I don't care for any part of your sad story." Bridget narrows her eyes at the creature. "Mikaela is only a baby. I doubt she can even grant your wish. She hasn't even grown into her full potential yet. Not that it makes a difference for your sake,” she concludes while focusing her magic.

“We’ll see about that,” the adversary spits.

“Not if I have your head,” the Viking retorts with a sharp scowl. She begins dismembering the reaper who on instinct causes a rapidly increasing sinkhole.

"Stop it, Freya! You don't know what you're doing,” the other witch exclaims with wide eyes. "I know exactly what I'm doing!" The fiercely protective witch grits her teeth and tunes out the counsel being thrown at her. “You know that we have to burn his body first and bury the bones,” Bridget proclaims.

Freya, lost in her blind rage continues her attempt as the trees and other objects move around recklessly. A massive log hits Bridget from behind and she falls unconscious. Her body is dragged toward the hole with great force. Green eyes widen in distress as the older woman attempts to push her back via telekinesis. The blood streaming from the younger witch’s head and the struggle of concentrating her magic causes frantic tears to pool into her focused eyes. The reaper disintegrates into the ground and various branches along with the stunned caretaker sink as well.

The elder witch is left alone with only the sounds of forest creatures. Her hand grabs at her forehead as she slightly stumbles back. Although she has ended Keelin's torture, she unwittingly created a new form of pain by burying her good friend alive.  
________________________________________

Freya enters her home and immediately finds Keelin right in front of her. The uneasiness settles into the pit of her stomach as she looks into hopeful brown eyes.

"So, am I cured of the reaper?" The blonde takes a moment to look past the woman over to Mikaela in her play yard. The child is mindlessly making animated sounds as she plays bear-zilla with her favorite teddy. "Freya,” the werewolf questions. She looks back to her partner who tilts her head in wonder and finally nods in affirmation.

"Yes. He won't be bothering you anymore,” she assures earning a smile.

"Where's Bridget? Did she go home or?"

After a moment, Keelin takes in the witch’s weary expression and pulls back slightly. The emotions become apparent all over Freya's face. Most importantly they're in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Keelin."


	17. HELL IS A PLACE ON EARTH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keelin is reeling from Freya's deadly actions but holds it together in order to save Bridget; Freya reflects on her mistakes and sets out to fix them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm backkkk. This chapter is Breya centric but don't get too comfortable because they're still in for some animosity going into the end of this story. Some of you already know just how far that's gonna go lol. There's Team Weredoctor in this too and they have cute/funny moments. A lot of Bridget's background is revealed and Freya's own fears are explored as well. There's a lot of symbolism and revelations, even tiny ones that reshape events we've already seen so I'm curious to see what things you guys catch since I, myself was finding things and going "Oh wow it makes sense" even though I wrote it haha. I can be forgetful at times. Hope you enjoy this latest episode of drama! 
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> Maria Mena - Leaving You: Keelin talks to Greg about Freya while they dig for Bridget.
> 
> Digital Daggers - Still Here: Bridget and Freya are confronted with the self reflecting mirrors. 
> 
> Billie Marten - Lionhearted: Bridget gifts the reaper bones to Freya.

Keelin slips her boots on as Freya watches quietly with Mikaela perched on her hip. The toddler waves her little toy airplane in the air above her mother’s head.

“You left my best friend for dead and all I’ve gotten from you is faithless apologies since you got here.” The older woman looks down guiltily. “There’s nothing I can do until the reaper reanimates. After that, I’ll be able to trap him and get Bridget back,” she explains.

“Well, good to know. But unlike you I can’t just wait around sitting on my hands. Thinking about the state of her is killing me. I _need_ for her to be okay.”

Freya gazes at the werewolf sympathetically. “I’m not a monster in this case. I didn’t want for anything to happen to her, Keelin. I _tried_ to save her.” Keelin finishes her task and stands up before stepping into her partner’s space. 

“You _are_ the monster in this situation. And just about every situation before it. She told you to keep your focus but you didn’t listen. Just like you didn’t listen to me about everything else. Instead of accepting that she had your back and would never let anyone or anything hurt Mikaela, you went ahead with your ideology of _you_ always knowing what’s best. Why haven’t you learned your lesson by now?” The taller woman peers down again while trying to formulate words. “I swear if she’s not okay…” Freya cuts the woman off by looking up and into her furious eyes.

“I do things…that I regret when the people I care about are in danger. You know this about me and I’m sorry. But I wasn’t going to risk you being hurt or _worse_ …and that stands for Mikaela as well,” she proclaims.

“You’re the danger at this point, Freya. I can’t even wrap my head around it. You and your family have these issues running deep. It’s like it’s written in your blood.”

“This is my family too, my main concern. We’re different. Once I sort this all out we’re going to be _different_ ,” the Mikaelson asserts. Passionate green eyes pierce into brown ones with a promise. Keelin shakes her head in protest. “Just don’t. Alright? Just don’t,” she dictates. 

She kisses Mikaela and walks around Freya before abruptly stopping at the door. Turning around, she finds the woman’s eyes on her. “Greg is going to try to dig her up. I mean it’s worth a shot, right? Can’t have the whole village asking questions about their beloved saint.” The blonde tilts her head in remorse but says nothing. “I’ll have an update later. Not that you actually care anyway,” she concludes.

The wolf leaves without another utterance and Freya stands there with Mikaela in her arms, drowning in her nagging thoughts.  
________________________________________

Sometime later, Greg and Keelin are making progress while digging up soil in the forest.

“Ever heard the one about the two werewolves digging for a witch,” the woman remarks while scooping dirt into a pile. “You’re surprisingly in a joking mood,” the man retorts. “I have to be just not to strangle my irrational other half with my bare hands,” she sighs. “I don’t even know what we are at this point. She’s supposed to be my partner through everything but I don’t think we’re there anymore.”

Without warning, Greg stops digging causing his friend to peer over at him with urgency. “Don’t stop now. I _need_ Bridget back here.”

“And we’ll get her back, I promise. You just need to get your frustrations out to make this process a little easier,” the man advises. The brunette shakes her head frantically. “No, what I need is to get her out before she’s worm food.” Suddenly, she throws the shovel down in disgruntlement. “For all I know she’s probably dead by now. Another casualty in the wake of Freya’s trust issues.”

“You think she did it on purpose?”

Keelin breathes out harshly prompting Greg to come closer. “Honestly, I don’t know. It wouldn’t surprise me if she did though. Her and Bridget have never been close to friends. She feels threatened by her.” The older werewolf furrows his brows in confusion.

“Threatened by Bridget who wouldn’t hurt a fly, a bear or even a tarantula,” he asks. Keelin starts to speak but then quirks an eyebrow at her friend. “A tarantula,” she questions incredulously. “Those freak me out,” Greg states simply with a shrug. The woman shakes her head at him.

“Freya is threatened because she doesn’t believe in good people. She thinks that no one else cares about me or my daughter as much as she does. So much so that she constantly goes to great lengths to save us only for it to backfire in the end. Exhibit B,” she claims while motioning toward the ground. Her friend sighs in realization. “So, you have a very jealous and paranoid lady on your hands.”

“The _most_ jealous and paranoid lady.” The werewolf picks up her shovel and begins digging again as the man watches intently. “But when everything is over I’m done. I can’t do this anymore. It’s stressing me out and I can never trust her again after all of this. I’ll never stop loving her but this shouldn’t be so hard. I know that our daughter needs her and I’d never take that away but I can’t be with her like this. It’s for the best.”

“And you’re sure you want to change everything Mikaela knows to be her world so early on,” Greg probes with a serious expression. Keelin laughs bitterly.

“If this is her world now then yes. Sometimes I get so angry at Freya and I lose control. I’ve _hit_ her before. Sure, I was cornered and defending myself but isn’t that how all the volatile relationships start? What if next time Mikaela’s there to see it? I could never forgive myself then. I can’t even forget the look on Freya’s face when I did it. This is not who I am nor who I want to be. I just want the best life for my daughter. Any way that I can have that I’m taking it,” the woman declares.

Greg provides a look of understanding before backtracking over to his initial spot. He plunges his shovel into the dirt and restarts digging. “Well then. Let’s get our girl back, shall we?”  
________________________________________

“She should settle down for a nap soon since she’s a bit of an early bird. If anything happens call me right away okay?” 

KC shakes her head with Mikaela on her hip. The child is wiping at her eyes while leaning her head against the teenager’s shoulder. “For sure. You have nothing to worry about, I’ve got this covered,” the wavy-haired girl assures with a smile. Freya nods with weary eyes and they both look down at the toddler fighting sleep.

“Okay. If you can’t reach me then Keelin should be there,” the blonde states. The babysitter nods in understanding and Freya finally turns to leave.

After Keelin stormed off on a mission to save Bridget, she was left to reflect on her actions and mistakes. As much as she strived to protect her family it seemed that she was hurting them all on her own. It was in her nature to always do what she thought was best. But in those moments that left her vulnerabilities wide open, she got lost in her emotions and made rash decisions. Even without having those emotions involved there were still times where she made the hard choices for the sake of those she cared about. To her there was no other manner of being then and now she feels more or less the same about it. 

Of course, having a family of her own has made her more conscious of the effects of that darkness. It only made things worse for her in the end because she knows that she’ll probably always jump to the same course of actions when she feels threatened enough. But now the threat of losing her soulmate and their little family is the biggest one of all. She would fight until her last breath just to prevent that from being her reality. So, without a doubt bringing Bridget back unharmed would have to be her newest undertaking. 

Freya finally reaches the home of her latest victim and realizes that the witch hasn’t enacted a boundary spell on the place. The woman is very confident in herself despite her humble nature. With a wave of her hand, the Mikaelson unlocks the front door and allows herself entry. Her eyes roam over the space that regretfully gives her a genuine homey vibe of warmth. No wonder Keelin and Mikaela loved to exist there. Images of comfort and joy all collide into her at once. She sends them away almost as fast as they come because the focus she needs is more than apparent right now.

Her first task is to locate her rival and she finds herself drawn to a specific room immediately. Inside, she explores it with her eyes noting the various books and magical items. Though she would never express such a fact, she is impressed by the woman’s collection and obvious dedication to her craft. The abrupt interest in knowing of her background is promptly banished just before she discovers a map of the village encased in a glass work table. 

“I see that the good witch of the south is a fan of convenience,” she whispers into nothing.

The witch pinpoints a unique looking book nearby and moves over to it. Upon opening it, her eyes examine the various spells and writings presumably from Bridget for a few moments. Then she closes it before lifting it up and placing it on top of the map. Her eyes shut tightly as she presses her palm to the item belonging to her target and within seconds she receives the vision of a dark, cold prison-like dwelling. Eyelids flit open as Freya sighs out loud. 

She hadn’t expected it to be easy and she is prepared for anything more than dire but there was a silent hope that the caretaker wasn’t too far out of reach. It was just her luck to have to take a trip outside of the physical plane. Finally accepting the matter, she reaches into the pocket of her jacket to retrieve a small bottle. The top is unscrewed and she quickly downs the harsh liquid in one gulp before wiping her mouth clean.

“Let’s just hope that this little cocktail holds up for the time being.”

Quickly, she pulls out her phone to type a text message and puts the device away before sitting down on the floor with her legs crossed. Once again her eyes are hidden as she silently concentrates her magic, chanting the incantation inaudibly. Before she knows it she feels the shift of her consciousness leaving her physical body and her vision clears.

Freya scans the scarcely lit area made up of stone walls and rusted metal. The air is cold and uninviting, the atmosphere is sinister. The blonde climbs up to her feet before dusting herself off and begins wandering down the dark hall. With her enhanced magic she conjures up a torch to help guide her way through the abyss. After a bit of a trek she enters into the presumed atrium where passageways extend into several different directions. She turns around in the circle to examine each one until she spins right into a surprise act of blunt force to the head.  
________________________________________

Keelin bites her lip as she gazes down upon the man actively digging in the gaping hole below her. An odd formation of dirt and rock is visible and Greg looks up at the woman above him with comical eyebrows. “What the hell is that,” both werewolves ask in unison. The brunette tilts her head at her friend quizzically.

“You’re good friends with a witch, surely you know.”

“Um, aren’t you sort of with a witch? I think that makes you qualified to understand these things,” the man throws back.

“I didn’t exactly have to pass a witchcraft board exam to start a relationship with her. I don’t even understand magic and it makes me anxious,” Keelin counters with a sour expression. “Well, then you understand my position! I’m a doctor for god’s sake,” Greg exclaims. The female wolf clicks her tongue in response. “If only you paid more attention to her abilities and not her assets you poor pining fool.”

“Right back at you, hotshot,” he retorts with an unpleased look. His eyes trail back down to the strange phenomenon in front of him. It appears to be pulsating with streams of light filtering through the cracks of the hardened soil. “I guess I have to do all the heavy lifting of this duo,” he mutters to himself. “Watch out!” The warning alerts Keelin to back away a bit from the edge as she watches the scene closely.

Greg raises his arms high and drives the shovel down into the rock pile with all of his superhuman strength. The pieces crush and fall away revealing the unconscious body of their beloved friend. The werewolf above ground steps forward and peers down at the site. Both pairs of brown eyes enlarge significantly.

“Bridget,” they both exclaim.

The witch lies motionless in the capsule like the perfect subject of a burial and the male doctor immediately springs into action by checking her pulse. “Is she okay? Please tell me she’s alive, Greg,” Keelin calls from her spot at the top. She instinctively crouches down to observe. He glances up at her before tending to the injured woman in his arms. “Yeah, she’s breathing,” he assures. The woman releases a breath of relief at the answer before her friend calls again. “I’m bringing her up!” The curly-haired woman nods in affirmation and readies herself for any mishaps.

The male wolf scoops Bridget up in his arms bridal style and leaps several feet in the air to effectively escape the manmade fissure. He stands right in front of Keelin who naturally holds up the woman’s head with a hand while instantly inspecting her state. She looks up at the man with concern.

“She sustained some bad head trauma. I’m almost a hundred percent sure that she has a concussion. She shouldn’t even be sleeping right now,” the female doctor declares.

“I’m not sure she’s even asleep in the true sense of the word,” the male doctor remarks before peering down at her in his arms. “You saw that thing down there. Maybe it was preserving her or something.” Keelin furrows her eyebrows for a moment. “Wait. You’re not insinuating that she did it to herself as a safety precaution are you?” Greg shrugs lightly while offering a hesitant smile.

“Underestimating the power of a pureblood witch I see,” he quips.

“I’m sorry if I can’t wrap my head around a delicate woman sustaining a nasty head wound and then proceeding to magically cocoon herself in order to survive.”

Keelin presents a deadpan expression at him before smoothing Bridget’s short hair back. “Look, Bridget is highly skilled. Judging by her wound I don’t think that the impact necessarily knocked her out instantaneously. And she has the gift of minor foresight.”

The brunette gazes down at her comatose friend and tilts her head in thought. The memories collected from their time together suddenly runs through her mind a mile a minute. For just about as long as she knew the Allentown witch she has considered her as the personification of a guardian angel. It was strange but the younger woman was somehow almost always there at the right times. Of course, during those times of distress she was in no position to question the significance of that detail. But perhaps this new knowledge is the key to those happenings.

A bittersweet grin pushes itself onto her lips. “My best friend is a badass witch and it took her near death experience for me to fully grasp that.” Greg offers a matching uncertain smile before the werewolf’s phone buzzes in her pocket. She fetches the device and checks her messages, peering up at her friend within moments. He tilts his head in question.

“We need to get her home. Freya has gone and sent her stubborn spirit to go get Bridget’s consciousness back,” she reveals.  
________________________________________

Freya stirs and groans at the hammering migraine assaulting her brain. She sits up and grabs her bleeding head until she notices the shadow of a figure. Instantly, she’s up on her feet albeit a bit wobbly but her senses calm when her eyes meet the subject of her operation. Bridget stands just ahead of her with folded arms and a mixture of emotions sprawled across her face. The blonde releases a sigh of relief while cringing.

“Payback’s a bitch and so is my good swinging arm,” the shorter woman remarks simply. “Bet you didn’t anticipate the near physical pain here when you chanted that astral projection spell huh?”

The older woman shakes her head before grasping the arm of the unlikely damsel in distress. “We don’t have time for the petty back and forth. Hopefully Keelin and Greg have your physical body. You’re coming with me,” the Mikaelson states. Bridget yanks out of her would be hero’s possession with a look of disbelief. “Oh god, when I got sent to my own private hell I hoped and prayed not to see the devil. I think that going anywhere with you is the last thing I need. Look at how that turned out,” the younger witch remarks while gesturing around them. Freya tilts her head with little amusement and grips the woman’s arm yet again. She closes her eyes to concentrate but soon realizes that she is unable to transport their projections back. Dark eyes observe her closely.

“I thought you were hauling me back hot shot,” the shorter woman quips with disfavor. 

“I _am_ here to take you back,” she announces before turning to look around the atrium. “Just as soon as I figure out _how_ to get us back.”

Bridget scoffs. “So, let me get this straight. You set out on a twisted rescue mission to save me, the person that you almost got killed and you didn’t hmm, I don’t know think that maybe it was best to concoct a plan first?” The woman in question sighs out harshly. “I didn’t have time to create an extensive strategy in the event of every single scenario. But Keelin wants you back and I’m going to make that happen. I was under the impression that all I had to do was drag you back to your body. Not explore the depths of the underworld without good use of my power.”

The younger woman laughs bitterly and folds her arms. “Oh, I see. You’re here because now you’ve finally realized that you’ve driven her even further away. Good on you, well done. And lucky me receiving a now useless neurotic witch who tried to kill me twice already.” Freya steps away to search the environment with her eyes.

“Maybe if you spent more time helping, then we could get to finding a way home faster.”

“Great. Now you’re reminding me of my mother too. This is really my descent into madness.”  
________________________________________

“What is with witches and their overdone independence?” 

Keelin allows Greg into Bridget’s house first so that he can gently lay her body down on the couch. “Welcome to the sovereign state of Freya Mikaelson. I can’t stop her so at the very least I hope that she knows what she’s doing,” the woman remarks. They look their friend over before staring at each other. “I’ll patch her up. I know where her supplies are.”

The doctor swings into action leaving the man standing there awkwardly. “I guess I’ll go check on the mighty Mikaelson witch then,” he retorts. He makes his way to the room reserved for witchy things and discovers the aforementioned blonde sitting on the floor in a meditative state. “Well, I found her.”

He steps closer and observes her seemingly catatonic appearance.

“This is the one time that I hope you’re as bad as they say you are. Something tells me that you’re gonna need it where you’re going,” he remarks quietly.  
________________________________________

The pair of powerful witches travel down a long hallway until they reach a space that resembles a lavish living room. The floor is made of shining marble and the furniture is traditionally styled with a beautiful but subtle gold color. The accents on each piece is intricately hand carved making it a unique display. Indoor plants and lamps are present as lit candles and a large chandelier brighten the dark place. 

As Freya enters in wonder she notices her doubtful companion drawing back at the sight of it. It peaks her interest and so she questions her faintly. “What’s wrong now? Is it not up to the good witch’s standards of homeliness?” Bridget sighs before entering and looking through the pitch-black darkness of the large window. “It’s my living room from back home in Tennessee,” she announces. The older woman throws her a look of quiet confusion. “I’ve been led to believe that this state of limbo can manifest into painful parts of my subconscious. Just like what reapers are able to do on the physical plane to torture their victims,” she explains.

Before her escort can question her further she continues with another sigh. “I saw a figure that resembled my ex-girlfriend. It was enough to get me up to speed on this place.” Freya silently prods for an elaboration on the occurrence and its significance but the younger witch chooses not to divulge any more information on the topic. Instead she peers around the room cautiously from her spot.

“Are you some product of royalty, an heiress of sorts,” the blonde asks in a neutral tone. The new clue about the witch’s background is unanticipated given with how she chooses to lead her reverential life in the quaint village of Allentown. She is again finding herself intrigued by the secretive woman against her own wishes.

“Practically. My status as a pureblood witch makes me a prized horse in my former community. Just because I’m a descendent from powerful sorcerers who had egos big enough to bang rather than humans and other supernatural beings. The people who run the show back in Bellevue measure cleanliness by how diluted your family’s line is,” she replies indifferently. “I’m gathering that my memories are already being pulled from my mind to manifest.” 

The elder witch steps closer to the pureblood. “And what does this room represent?”  
________________________________________

**_Bridget runs through the main hall with her sister hot on her trail._ **

**_"Better run faster or you'll get the lash," the older girl exclaims._ **

**_The little witch abruptly turns into the living room where her terrorizer grabs her by both shoulders and pushes her down with force. Bridget flops down on her face but quickly flips over on her back. Her sibling smirks with satisfaction and inches toward her like predators do for their prey. The smaller girl sits up on her elbows to gaze at her in fear._ **

**_"Stop it! Or I'm-I'm-I'm," the frightened child stutters._ **

**_"Or-or-or you'll what? If you tell mom that you couldn't stand up to me, she'll think that you're weak," the oldest states with a shrug. Bridget shakes her head and scoots back causing her bully to smile. "Now take the lash," she commands in a dramatic but sickeningly playful tone._ **

**_A leather belt is revealed within her grasp and brown eyes widen at her. Suddenly, she lunges for her little sister but is pushed back with telekinesis. Her body collides with the nearby table and an antique vase crashes to the ground in pieces. The little girl gasps knowingly._ **

**_"Bridget! Bianca," a powerful voice exclaims with irritation. Bridget scrambles to her feet and runs to the exit but is halted by pulsating magic. She shuts her eyes with anxiety. "I don't appreciate my prized belongings being treated like gift store knick-knacks," the velvety voice sounds. The child finally gazes at her mother before straightening up._ **

**_"Bianca wouldn't stop chasing me! She wouldn't let me play something else," she explains pleadingly. The woman closes her eyes stressfully and sighs deeply while Bianca walks over to them with her hands behind her back._ **

**_"Bridget wanted to play! I didn't tell her to run in here. She never listens and she broke it," the eldest daughter argues. The younger girl whips around in anger at her sibling. "You liar," she yells._ **

**_"Enough," their mother commands firmly. Both girls turn to face her with acquired respect. Fear spreads across each of their faces in anticipation. "Last time I checked you have work to do Bianca." Her eyes pierce her daughter's and the girl nods accordingly before leaving the room. Bridget's own anguish doubles as those same eyes follow her retreating sister before falling upon her. "And you. Maybe if you spent as much time tending to your studies as you do with playing around, you wouldn't be constantly upstaged by a Rothwell," the annoyed woman chides._ **

**_Bridget looks down at her feet. Her mother never failed to remind her of her shortcomings. She could be on the same level as her gifted peers and it still would never be enough for the hardened woman._ **

**_"This is exactly why our family isn't considered among the great three lines now. There was a time where we could've taken on a Rothwell and a Blackwell in the same sitting without breaking a sweat. Now you've made friends with the same witches that spit on you. You act like I haven't taught you anything," she harangues in spite. The little girl sinks deeper into herself as tears pool in her eyes. Her mother seems to ease up on her ranting. "You know what you have to do now, precious."_ **

**_Shimmering dark eyes flit up at the older witch. Bridget begins shaking her head furiously. "Please! Please, mommy I'll do better I swear." The cold woman ignores the plea with disinterest and gives the child a serious expression. "It's time to do your repetitions and phrasing. This time I'll be the one relinquishing you. Am I clear?" Bridget gives into her orders and stops protesting. She nods in understanding._ **

**_"Yes ma'am," she accepts._**  
________________________________________

Freya observes her apprehensive rival until she spots an overdressed woman loitering by the doorway. "Who's that woman guarding the door?" Bridget follows her eyeline and lightly groans expectantly. "It's my mother. Well, an image of her conjured up from my subconscious. This is my hell remember? Apparently, it really doesn't want me to leave."

"Well, you're certainly in touch with yourself then. Shouldn't you be experiencing the same mental ailments that Keelin did? Even more intensely might I add." The younger woman shrugs while pondering the question.

"I guess so. I mean no one has ever been in reaper purgatory so there's a first for everything. Mostly I've accepted my past so it doesn't affect me as intensely as it did for her,” she replies before receiving an incredulous look from the blonde.

"Nobody is completely absolved of a painful past. There's no way you made it out unscathed."

"And you know this for sure my dear shrink? Or are you just projecting all of your mommy issues onto me? Sure, my mother was a witch bitch that could be heartless. But I'm not sabotaging my own life because of it. I've settled my demons a long time ago."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself,” the older witch inquires seriously. Bridget turns away with a sigh and Freya steps forward. "I know we're not the best of friends parading around our affection for one another. But obviously something is keeping you here and you need to vanquish it to win. What happened?"

The caretaker huffs in frustration before moving around the room to gain some clarity. "A toxic childhood. The woman hated everything I did, the company I kept, and who I was. She wanted to groom her children to be the most fierce and powerful witches ever. But me and my sister couldn't hack it. So, we hacked her. End of story." Green eyes widen in surprise. "I was just kidding about the last part. We didn't murder her, she made enough enemies on her own. Bad joke, sorry."

Freya sighs while shaking her head at the woman’s carelessness. "So, if you're not haunted by her then what are your true fears?"

"Let me know when you find out sunshine,” the shorter woman quips. Her consort strides over and forcefully grabs her in a wave of frustration. "You have to figure this out!" Bridget snatches out of her hold and frowns. "No, you need to back off. This is too much,” she argues.

The witch storms off through the other exit and begins trekking down the dark corridor before she is vigorously twisted around. "You need to uncover the truth. It's the only way out. Obviously, your truth is..." The older woman receives a harsh glare in response. "No," Bridget interrupts. "The real truth is that you don't care whether I live or die. So, what's the point of entertaining some false hero complex? I'm no longer in your way." Freya's face softens for a moment but then her anxiety gets the best of her. She steps to Bridget challengingly with fierce features.

"I've come all this way. And I intend to bring you back one way or another."  
________________________________________

Back in the physical world, Keelin and Greg observe Freya’s hollow body stiff in her same position.

“Shouldn’t they be back by now? Isn’t this taking a bit too long for you? God, I’m starting to lose my mind here,” the woman fires off. She begins pacing around the room as her friend watches intently. He wants for nothing more than to alleviate her anxiety. “Well, she’s definitely working hard to pull off a grand romantic gesture,” the man remarks half-jokingly.

Keelin tilts her head at him unamused. “I doubt that seeing as it was her smothering love that brought us into this mess. It wasn’t so hard to pull off before now, was it,” she asks rhetorically and sighs. “I just want them home, safe and tangible. I’m so worried that I think my chest might burst under pressure.”

Greg offers a comforting gaze for his nervous friend before coming over to grip her biceps gently.

“Hey, there will be no chest bursting today. Save that for the movies kid,” he quips earning a halfhearted smile that disappears quickly. “Look, they are a couple of strong witches that are more than capable of surviving an extended out of body experience. They wouldn’t want you to be pulling out your spectacular hair,” he assures.

“I guess you just want me to roll with the compliment and suddenly feel better about all of this, huh?”

A pleased grin swipes across the man’s lips as his eyes twinkle. “No, really. What conditioner do you use ‘cause I think I might have to buy it?” The goofy werewolf rubs at his buzzed head and Keelin finally offers a small giggle before patting his head playfully.  
________________________________________

"Let's see, she was cold, caustic, callous, and another c-word that I won't plague her soul with since I have a heart. All she cared about was looking nice, having nice things, and being the reigning supreme. I'm also eighty eight percent sure that she murdered my father’s reputation just to climb up the social ladder. Good enough for you?"

Freya sighs and races around the space while Bridget gazes into one of the various mirrors hanging on the walls around them. For the past ten minutes at least, she’s been tugging information out of the younger halfhearted woman who obviously has no intention of scouring the darker parts of herself. However, she’s almost completely sure that the solution resides within a suppressed fear that the Allentown witch has of her own mother. 

"Maybe try digging deeper. What were her darkest crimes against you," she queries. "For instance, my own mother sold me as payment to an evil aunt of mine who kept me prisoner for centuries to fulfill her desire for a coven of dark witches."

Bridget raises her eyebrows at the admission but doesn’t turn toward the witch.

"Well, now I know why you're the wicked witch of the south. You definitely have me beat," she sighs out. "I mean the only thing my mother ever forced me to do is repetitions of spells for hours, sometimes the entire day. I wasn't a prisoner though. Not in the true sense anyway. Sure, I was locked in the cellar while doing so and had no water whenever she was occupied with her gloriousness but it's not like I couldn't have left at any point."

"So, why didn't you,” the older woman questions. In her eyes is a deep hope for a breakthrough and the shorter woman finally looks at her before casting her own eyes down. "I don't know,” she states discouraged. Freya looks into one of the mirrors next to her and so does her counterpart. “Perhaps you’re still harboring a fear of her, like the one you knew as a child,” she offers mindlessly. Bridget leans in closer to her own mirror. “And maybe your psychoanalyzing just really sucks,” she tosses distractedly.

Within the mirror she sees her reflection morph into a visibly erratic version of her mother with crazed eyes and tussled hair. The older witch is confronted with the distorted image of her late aunt consecutively but only narrows her eyes at the cheap trick. The younger witch suddenly backs away from her mirror causing a disturbance to her partner.

“What? What did you see,” the blonde questions intensely. The inquiry is met with the wordless shaking of the younger woman’s head much to her own dismay. Growing impatient, Freya roughly grabs at her arm to get her to focus. “Running from the truth is not getting us anywhere,” she states through gritted teeth. Bridget closes her eyes in distress and throws her back into the wall with telekinesis. Her frantic eyes open in bewilderment. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” she apologizes breathily. 

All of the mirrors left unbroken by the impact display the image of the deranged woman as the sole reflection. Freya looks up at them from the ground before silently questioning the anxious witch with her eyes. Before the latter can give in to the prodding, another corridor appears and she hurries right through it. The blonde scrambles to her feet and follows behind but immediately loses her as she wanders into an entirely new space.

The sound of weeping infiltrates her ears and as she slowly moves closer she sees the back of a woman. _This isn’t real_. She shakes her head of her meandering thoughts and places a hand on the figure’s shoulder to whip her around with purpose. The action reveals a distressed apparition of Keelin and she is taken aback before quickly recovering with a raised chin.

“I know you’re not really her and you can’t hurt me,” she declares with a shake of her head. 

The curveball that hits her quick is the first words spoken by the grand illusion. “That’s true. But wouldn’t you like to know a little secret? I mean it’s not really a secret for the rest of the world as much as it is for you.” Freya observes the blank features of the projection with a frown. “The real Keelin is the only one that can truly devastate you, and pretty soon she will by untying her fate from yours.” The witch suddenly feels stuck in place as she’s forced to listen to one of her darkest fears. “You don’t deserve her and you never did. Poor you, allowing yourself to be fooled into believing that it could be so. You’re not worthy, you couldn’t even protect your family until the great Keelin had to step in and correct your mistakes. Your future, is to be left all alone with the multitude of your failings and regret,” the illusion proclaims.

The Mikaelson gives way to her anger and lurches at the apparition just as the place begins to shake violently. The anti-Keelin points toward the dark distance off to the side of them that instantly creates a path lit by fire. Green eyes widen before snatching back to the ghostly vision. 

“Oh, I forgot to mention another small detail,” it quips. “Your darkness is hereditary, I’m afraid.”

Realization dawns on the witch as she sprints down the corridor with terror clawing at her insides. Her eyes quickly recognize her own pride and joy unleashing dark magic at an unknown figure. Without wasting a second, she presses forward but nearly slips into a gaping hole separating her from the other side. Instinctively, she moves back and peers down into the bottomless pit as chunks of stone fall into it. Then she whips her gaze to the child several feet away.

“Mikaela,” she exclaims with all her energy. The illusion of her daughter turns to her with an unsettling grin before extracting the heart of the victim and holding it in her hands. Freya draws back at the scene but rushes over with tunnel vision. As she falls to her knees in front of the little girl, the revelation of the pit also being a realistic illusion fades into the background. Frantically, she fusses over the toddler and finds that her body is more than tangible. 

The anti-Mikaela points to the deceased person nearby. “Mama, gone,” she states. Freya looks up at her in confusion before following her finger. There she encounters the image of her own demise as she stares into dead green eyes. The toddler raises her bloody hands and smiles pushing her to scoot away with a frightened expression. The sound of voices begin attacking her within her own mind. “It’s not possible for you to function with anyone but yourself,” they chant ruthlessly. “You hurt people, you only bring pain and death.”

“I can give your family the real love that they deserve since you’re so incapable of it,” the voice of Bridget whispers.

Freya covers her ears tightly and wills herself to think straight. As long as she didn’t fall into her deepest thoughts and feelings this ruse would only fail. A hand carefully touches her shoulder and she’s seconds away from losing it when she whips around to find Bridget leering at her. The younger witch seems to pick up on the situation due to her own emotional dissection and softens her eyes.

“It’s me, it’s really me right now. I’m not a product of your fears, I swear,” the woman asserts. The blonde looks around to see that they’re in a dimly lit room that’s completely empty. She shakes her head wearily with a deep breath and her companion drops down in front of her on the cold ground. Their eyes find each other after a few moments of utter silence.

“I think I’m ready to face this,” Bridget claims with a sad expression. Freya gulps down her own simmering sorrow and straightens up in anticipation. “The truth is that you could never be worse than me seeing as I’m predestined to lose myself to darkness. It’s literally in my blood and there’s nothing I can do about it.” The older woman gazes at her in confusion but remains silent.

“You suspected that I fear my mother…but really I fear becoming just like her. She was already a cruel woman by nature. But she didn’t deserve to succumb to a madness that was out of her control,” she breathes out. “Her petty obsession with being the best led her into darker forms of magic. She was already strong as a pureblood but that wasn’t enough for her so she did…things, horrible things. It got to the point that she started doing blood sacrifices. She literally sacrificed the soul of my girlfriend and made it look like she left me with nothing but a letter. All because she was an important werewolf who housed some mystical totem in her spirit. I didn’t even find out the truth until far too late…”

Bridget peers down at her shaking hands and Freya is fully ensnared by the new knowledge. “She created debts far beyond what money could pay off by breaking truces with a lot of witches from the line she hated most. Betraying and killing up a bunch of Blackwells gets you nowhere pretty fast,” she jests with nonexistent commitment. “Her manic episodes were becoming so bad that she couldn’t even control her magic during them. It was then that the three major bloodlines decided to execute her and cut their losses, unanimously. Led by the Parrishs, it was supposed to be the best course of action. They hadn’t expected her to go willingly. She made a mess of the village before fleeing and trapping herself in our barn-house. And…I had to watch as she engulfed herself in flames.”

Freya mulls over the tragic story without any words to give. It’s currently the shock of her life to be learning about the destructive past of the aptly titled good witch of the south. She had never expected such pain and darkness to come close to touching the woman. All of her words are burying her in conflicted emotions.

“I know that it doesn’t mean much coming from me but…none of the things that happened with your mother are a reflection of you. You have your good title for a reason,” Freya finally offers.

The younger witch shakes her head in protest. “You really don’t understand. Because of what happened to my mother, I became conscious of my likelihood of carrying her disorder. That's why I tend to stay away from utilizing other sources of power that aren't natural. It’s genetic and even magic can’t cure it. Some say that it’s the true reason for it since it mostly affects purebloods. There was an urban legend that they used to tell to scare us when we were younger. It was about one of the first pureblood witches who grew so powerful that she became obsessed with it and lost her mind before consuming herself in a ball of fire. Before she died she touched a member from each bloodline making it possible for any of us to inherit the disorder. It’s called the Mark of Inez,” she explains. “Whether the story is true or not it’s a real live thing, Freya. And I could be next.”

The witch curls into herself with shame and suddenly the Mikaelson feels worse about her actions regarding the woman. Maybe she had truly misjudged her before actively seeking to know things about her like Keelin had done. So, she takes the moment to gently grasp the woman’s hand as a silent act of an apology. Bridget peers up at the blonde with astonishment and they both stare at each other. The latter’s magic finally kicks in and they are instantly shifted back into their physical bodies. 

The blonde comes out of her meditative state and startles the man examining her. She gets up and pushes past Greg who follows her closely to the living room. Keelin is sitting on the edge of the couch while looking over the still unconscious witch. Freya gently but quickly moves her partner aside effectively annoying her.

“Freya, what are you doing? And why are you here if she’s still asleep,” the werewolf questions rapidly.

The queries thrown her way go unanswered as she lowers down onto her knees beside the caretaker. Her eyes close as she touches the injured woman and channels her magic until she awakens. Bridget opens her own eyes and Keelin helps her sit up slowly while shooting a suspicious gaze at the Viking witch. Green eyes look the newly arrived witch over once more.

“Are you ready to get rid of the reaper once and for all,” she inquires. 

Her counterpart gazes at her before nodding firmly albeit a little wearily. Another pair of brown eyes whips between them in concern. “Uh, uh there’s no way she’s going on a suicide mission,” Keelin protests immediately. She fixes her firm gaze to her wounded friend. “There’s no way I’m letting you go out there again.” 

“Keelin, it’s for your protection. Now that I’ve shared the same experience I’m definitely not letting him get away with it,” the younger witch replies. “No, it’s too dangerous. You have a concussion.” The werewolf then turns her eyes to the older witch. “I can’t believe that you would even put her up to this after everything,” she chides. Freya sighs while giving her a serious expression. “We need each other to do this, Keelin. I promise that everything will be okay once it’s done,” she swears with conviction.

“I told you that you can’t stop me,” Bridget chimes in. “This is definitely one of those times where I need to fight. I’ll be okay,” she stresses.

The doctor is visibly perplexed by the sudden show of team work and is confronted by the fact that she has no say when her friend rises from the couch. She watches with uncertainty as the two witches nod at each other in short before looking at her. 

“Are we all in the twilight zone now,” Greg quips.  
________________________________________

Bridget and Freya finish drawing the lines in a hurry as they await the return of their foe. 

“So, this time around don’t go creating a big oops, okay?” The Mikaelson tilts her head incredulously as the younger woman looks away at their work. “We’re all set and ready to go,” she announces. The blonde gazes down at her hands before stalking over to the caretaker. “Bridget,” she says gaining the attention of her rival. “About before…”

The attempt at a dialogue goes interrupted by their target materializing feet away. They spring into action and instantly trap the creature to his own stupefaction. 

“This time I sense no last words for you,” the eldest proclaims. She peers over to her partner and notices a sudden lack of confidence. Her eyes quietly egg her on until she receives a nod in understanding. 

With two extended hands, the reaper is set aflame and both witches watch as his body glows a ghostly green color. His skeletal system becomes visible and he collapses into a pile of bones within moments. Both women step forward to gaze at their success. Bridget crouches down to examine the destruction below her and picks up a bone. 

“We only need to make sure that his skull, ribs, and spine are buried,” she remarks while looking up at the blonde. “You can have the rest for your little collection of ashes. Think of it as a gift.”

Freya offers a smirk and they gaze at each other before looking down at the evidence of their victory.


	18. DANGEROUS MINDS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bridget is discouraged by her darkest fear and head trauma; Freya and Keelin are concerned with the state of Bridget to different degrees; Keelin officially breaks up with Freya during an emotional encounter leaving them both lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the first chapter in a long time that's on the shorter side as we move toward the grand finale. Whew. It's Bridget/Keelin/Freya centric dealing with the aftermath of Freya's latest no no. Now some of you probably forgot since everyone was anticipating the Freelin fallout and such but there is a Breelin kiss. Again it stops there, it's not romantic so much as it is about comfort in their shaky time right now, they don't date or anything at any point ever, and it immediately fades away into the background until it plays a part in the next story with Freya's affliction. So don't lose your shit alright? Lol I'm just a piece of work that lives for the drama in entertainment. As expected the break up of Freelin happens here as well and if you really wanna torture yourself then I dare you to listen to the song that goes with it. There's also the long awaited Breya witch fight and I will tease that it helps them settle their differences. 
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Mansionair - Pick Me Up: Bridget deals with the aftermath of her experience in limbo and Keelin tends to her head injury.
> 
> 2) Vancouver Sleep Clinic - Unworthy: Freya discovers Bridget's fragile state and tries to talk to her with harmful results.
> 
> 3) Fleurie - Hurricane: Keelin breaks up with Freya.
> 
> 4) Bishop Briggs - Dark Side: Freya deals with her heartbreak as she adds the reaper to her collection of ashes.
> 
> 5) SYML - Mr. Sandman: Bridget and Keelin share their fears before a kiss.
> 
> 6) Ruelle - Bad Dream: A confrontation between Bridget and Freya comes to a head.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

“Haven’t even waited a second before resuming your secret witchy things,” Keelin remarks.

She saunters into the spell room and gazes at the woman hunched over a work table. Bridget’s hand is clutching her injured forehead in deep thought until she hears the voice. Then she looks up at her visitor with a small smile before retracting her attention just as fast. The werewolf tilts her head at the strange behavior and comes to sit down on the stool beside her. She maintains her position to face her head on and brings the unwilling witch out of her work. 

“How are you holding up? And I mean _really_ holding up.”

The woman in question shoots a look toward the floor before staring at her concerned friend. “I’ve…been having trouble concentrating my magic,” she sighs out reluctantly. “I just feel a bit out of it lately.” Sincere eyes give their full attention to her. “You need to relax okay? You’re still in recovery due to a nasty head injury. Hell, you shouldn’t even be working at all let alone channeling spirits and such. You’re not invincible,” the wolf stresses.

“I don’t really channel spirits. Save for when I wanted to help you,” the witch corrects.

Keelin zones in on her unreadable tone and watches as she turns away from her yet again. Her reflexes allow her to catch the woman’s head in her hands, leaving it in place to check her bandage. “You need to stop being so hard on yourself. You more than deserve a break at this point,” she admonishes. Serious but puppy-like brown eyes weigh heavily on the younger woman who finally sighs in defeat. The doctor receives a slow nod of agreement and offers a warm smile in return.  
________________________________________

Freya steps up to the suddenly intimidating front door. She plays with her fingers as she ponders just going home now. Since the eventful rescue mission for her rival’s life, she couldn’t help but examine all the things she had learned about the woman in the process. Her brain still couldn’t fathom all of the pain and fear the younger witch kept deep down inside of herself. And she couldn’t begin to quell the guilt that continues to rise within her chest. 

Because of her own fears she was the one who sent the caretaker to that dark place both literally and figuratively. To her, it only reaffirms her position as a monster, the wicked witch of every story. So even though she’s not sure why she’s here, she _knows_ why she’s here. It seemed to be in her best interest to lessen her residual guilt, all the while actually providing a proper albeit rare apology.

Without allowing another thought to deter her decision, she lifts a fist to knock on the barrier. However, there’s no movement and she senses that the door is unlocked. She supposes that it’s not completely unusual to feel so safe in the quiet little village. 

After a beat she allows herself in and makes her way to the familiar room, sensing her target’s magic. When she arrives at her destination her eyes fall upon the frustrated witch attempting to complete a spell to no avail. A glass jar from the top of the shelf suddenly flies off and crashes to the ground. The impact causes her to jump a little but she is soon distracted by the woman peering down at her shaky palms. The lack of control is disconcerting considering how calm and skilled the Allentown witch is. It’s enough to get her to step up and finally speak.

“Shouldn’t you be taking a break from the spells,” Freya offers. 

Bridget whips around to the source of the sound and instinctively hides her hands behind her back. “What are you doing here? I think you’re the least qualified person to scold me on abstaining from magic,” she retorts. Green eyes observe her closer. “I just wanted to see if you’re alright.” The younger witch turns away hastily.

“I’m actually tired so maybe you should leave right now,” she states. The blonde takes a tentative step forward and the frustrated woman feels her anxiety growing. “Is it that hard for you to just leave me alone?” The urgency in her tone does little to forfend the older witch as she presents another inquiry. 

“Bridget. Does this have anything to do with what happened when we got separated before?”

Dark eyes widen at the question and both women are bewildered by the sudden tremor sweeping the room. Various items around the place tremble under Bridget’s power before she wills them to stop. “Leave,” she yells out in haste. Freya parts her lips slightly before obliging with her own briskness.  
________________________________________

After her encounter with her troubled rival, Freya wasted no time going to find Keelin. It took a while seeing as she went all the way out to the ranch, only to learn that the woman had left Mikaela in Greg’s care sometime before. When she opted to call her, it became apparent that the werewolf was coincidentally looking for her as well. It was then that they decided to meet at what was becoming less and less their official homebase. 

Freya enters and peers around the quiet house in search of her awaiting partner. Eventually she makes a stride to their bedroom where she discovers the woman of her thoughts idly moving around the space. Her fingers tentatively touch the items as if she’s embedding them in her memory and something about the action unsettles the blonde. The shadows casting around her in the dimly lit room only add to the melancholy atmosphere. 

The werewolf finally turns around to face her and she stills for a moment as if to muster up some nerve. In that moment, all the witch wants to do is prolong the impending doom and protect her family in the process.

“Keelin, there’s something that I need to tell you.”

“Okay, but I need to tell you something first,” the brunette counters. 

She steps up and looks at the older woman seriously. “Can it wait? This is important,” the witch proclaims. “This is important too. It’s about us.” Freya abruptly closes her mouth and stares at the shorter woman anxiously. The nod of her head is barely present as she lifts her chin. Keelin finally enters her personal space.

“I’ve thought about a lot of things since…you know,” she starts off. The blonde silently allows herself to recall their latest time together and all the emotions she felt between them. Unfortunately for her it all ended too soon just before more of her mistakes made way. “And although we got caught up in what we have in its simplest form…all we can do now is move forward without all of the fighting. Mikaela is the most important thing and she will always be our lifeline.”

Freya gazes at the woman in front of her and listens in slight confusion. She doesn’t know where the conversation is heading with that introduction but her intuition is making her uneasy. The words sound so hopeful yet fleeting upon her soulmate’s lips. As if the space between them isn’t already nonexistent, Keelin shakes her head and pulls in deeper.

“But I can’t be with you, Freya… _we_ can’t be together like before,” she claims. The witch peers down with a light shake of her own head and sad brown eyes watch helplessly before the statement continues. “It’s just not healthy or the best situation for Mikaela to be in at this point. I _know_ that you saw it coming.”

The Mikaelson promptly looks up at her and bites her lip. Her eyes are already reddening and the werewolf feels a dull ache in her chest knowing that she’s plunging the knife in her heart. Her lover goes to speak but can’t seem to utter the words before backing down. Everything about her is downcast. “Freya, our relationship as we know it is over. It’s time for a new chapter. No more running in circles and creating temporary reunions. We can’t confuse Mikaela and even more so ourselves. I can’t take the whole push and pull thing between us. We lost the trust and our whole foundation has been shattered,” Keelin declares. Freya shakes her head and balls up her fist at her side. The emotions inside of her are threatening to rush out in a dangerous wave.

“I just want for us to be the best parents that we can be to our daughter. I _want_ you in her life and I’d never take that away from you, I promise.” The blonde lifts her head to the ceiling to keep the tears from falling but remains as silent as she’s been all along. It makes the woman in front of her all the more worried. “Freya. Say something.” The request gains her attention and allows a full display of the light tears in her eyes.

“I thought we were forever, all the way. But now it feels like you’re just tearing me to pieces.”

Keelin blinks as she’s confronted with the pain washing over her. It’s bad enough knowing the emotional damage she’s causing for them both. But to hear it reaffirmed out loud is enough to kill her right then and there. “Freya…” Her attempt at somehow lessening the blow is interrupted. “I don’t want to give you up. I can’t give you up, Keelin.” Freya is shaking her head frantically causing her other half to tilt her own sullenly. Before she can stop herself, she grabs the witch’s hands and holds them in her own.

“I wish there was another way. I wish that I didn’t have to stare you in the face and say this but it just, _is_. I can’t be the one to cause you so much pain by trying to change you. And we can’t go on like this. None of it was part of the plan,” the wolf professes. She shakes her head wearily with tears pooling in her eyes. 

The older woman intakes a shaky breath. “I can’t do this without you. I don’t think that I can live without you.” The admission has her breaking down and Keelin immediately wraps her arms around the woman’s frame. “I’m still here. I’m still here, Freya. We still have to be a team. You’re never alone.” Freya lets her tears flow and the mother of her child finds herself doing the same.

“I will never want anyone else as much as I want you. I will never want anything more.”

The brunette suddenly pulls back to gaze up into tear-streaked green eyes. The mournful truth compels her to own up to her own matching one. “And I’ll never love anyone else the way that I love you,” she replies. The most tortured look she’s ever seen comes her way and by nature she pulls into her lost love. They look between each other until their lips finally meet in a devastating union. The kiss has the bitter taste of a goodbye and neither seem to want to be the first to let go. Eventually, Keelin pulls back and leans her forehead against Freya’s. Her hands are still gripping the flaps of the witch’s leather jacket and she feels firm hands planted to her back. “We just have to let go before we drown under the pressure of…us,” the wolf whispers.

She breathes out ever so softly as the taller woman holds back her emerging tears. Her head shakes at the statement because she could never let go of the person that made her desires shift so effortlessly. Before her all she knew was a deep, dark loneliness. The presence and persistence of her had completely reshaped her fate into something more beautiful. She gave her something worth fighting for and a will to be different, better. 

Keelin nods to assure herself of her choice. Then she releases the woman before carefully removing the protective arms from around her back. She brings their hands to rest right up in front their faces. 

“We’re gonna be okay. This is for the best and it’ll only make us stronger.”

Freya wants to tell her that she’s wrong and that she needs her as her strength. But the words are all choked up in her throat. She watches as the werewolf closes her eyes to softly kiss the hands in between them. After a few seconds, somber brown eyes look into unwilling green ones. 

“Goodbye, Freya.”

The tone of the farewell carries the weight of many meanings and all of it crushes the blonde. Keelin tears herself away quickly before she can talk herself out of the matter. Freya is too fragile to watch her go so she lowers her head silently as the woman maneuvers past her and out the door.  
________________________________________

Everything’s a haze.

Freya takes another shot of vodka and allows the fire to course through her veins. Her eyes settle on her makeshift pyre as she watches the flames dance around the bones of her latest adversary. When it’s complete, she empties the dust into a jar reserved for the reaper and places it right next to the collection of her fallen enemies. Her dulled satisfaction does little to appease her fractured heart as her mind drifts back to the reality of her situation. 

Keelin is no longer hers. The family of her own is torn apart no matter how much the woman insisted that it wasn’t. How could they be a unit when too many pieces were missing? 

She pours another round of the alcohol into a shot glass and downs its contents just as fast. The thought of the two people she loves most settling into another home picks at her insides. It’s like her deepest fears are coming true and pretty soon the apex of her loneliness would be her own private hell. 

And then she remembers. Regardless of the lines drawn Mikaela is still _her_ flesh and blood. No matter how far Keelin drifted away their souls are still bound together for life. It was still her job to protect them and that meant even from the potential darkness of the witch that her new ex is so fond of.  
________________________________________

Bridget quietly sits cross legged on her bed as she meditates. Smoke from the lit herbs cascade around the room in a light fog and she exhales deeply. Her encounter with Freya the other day had wound her up too tight for her own liking so she embarked on a journey of self-improvement. She couldn’t allow her darkest fears to loom over her and completely alter the person that she knows herself to be. She was never like her mother before and wouldn’t become her now. At least that’s what she’s been chanting to herself over and over for days.

An inferno has been haunting her just about every second. It’s in her dreams, it’s in her body and she fears that it’s in her soul. Even the embers of it is starting to prick at her skin all over again. The heat trapped within her vessel is becoming unbearable.

For a quick moment she halts her concentration to swiftly remove her t-shirt. Underneath is her black sports bra from her previous activity of exercising to motivate her waning strength. She instantly tugs at the chain around her neck, willing the relentless flames to liberate her. _It’s all in your mind_. When she finally feels comfortable enough she resumes her deep introspection for a few minutes until Keelin seeks her out.

“I’m so relieved to see that you’re finally relaxing.” 

All concentration ceases as she opens her eyes to gaze at her friend with uncertainty. The werewolf offers a questioning look but moves over to sit down on the bed when she is beckoned. Her eyes observe the witch as she peers down with growing hesitation. The strange behavior is starting to worry her again but she patiently waits with a tilt of her head. Bridget finally provides her own eyes while taking a deep breath.

“Maybe it’s best if you stay away from me. You and Mikaela for that matter,” she suggests.

Keelin is taken aback and confused by the sudden request. If she was worried about the recovery of the woman before she was borderline perturbed by it now. Her whole personality seemed out of whack as she was up one minute and down the next. Hopeful about her state and then discouraged. She’s starting to wonder if she received more damage to her brain than originally thought.

“Can I ask why I suddenly have to flee when you obviously need me right now,” the doctor inquires softly. 

“You don’t have to go. I understand that you’re going through a transition and I can find some other arrangement. It’s easier that way,” Bridget offers. There’s a beat of hesitation. “I just…I can’t protect you anymore. I can’t make things better for you.”

The older woman furrows her eyebrows. “What? What do you mean easier? I’m here because I care about you and I can protect myself,” she asserts. Anxiety builds up within the witch before she blurts out her inner thoughts. “Not from me.” Keelin gazes at her for a moment and draws back with a nervous laugh. “No one would ever have to worry about being hurt by you,” she claims. Her friend shakes her head in protest.

“Don’t be so sure,” she warns vaguely. Brown eyes examine her closely. “What’s happening here?” Bridget looks down in shame as she ponders what to do next. Should she own up to her truth? Or run far away like hell? Both options are looking pretty muddy and the concerned stare she’s receiving right now isn’t making her choice any more painless. In all honesty her nature would only allow for the former option either way. So, she lifts her head up to meet the careful eyes on her.

“When my spirit left my body…I was sent to a horrible place that left me with no way to keep my past suppressed. And now…I’m scared all over again about what I could become,” she admits.

Keelin softens her features as she takes in the words that sound more than familiar to her. The caretaker had been so much of a rock for her and others that she hadn’t taken the time to consider that she may have her own struggles. “It doesn’t matter,” the older woman replies. She shakes her head. “I’m not just going to leave you, no matter what. You’ve been there for me nonstop and it’s time for me to return the favor.”

Bridget peers down at her hands. “Keelin, this is dangerous. _I’m_ dangerous. Because of my mother’s ailment I’m more likely to inherit it. She did horrible things to people, things I don’t even want to remember but can’t forget. Her very own genes made her hurt people. She murdered people I knew and she took away people that I loved. I don’t want to become the same power obsessed monster but it’s inside of me either way. I could lose my mind and reality at any point. I’m a walking time-bomb and I don’t want _anyone_ to get caught in the crossfire,” she proclaims. 

The werewolf can’t help but relate as she places a palm to her friend’s cheek. “You know all of my fears. You stopped at nothing to help me through them rather than just giving up. So, I owe it to you to do the same. If you’re a ticking time-bomb then I’m a touch-and-go wrecking ball. Sure, we have screwed up genes but you know what? We make the best of it. We still try to be different.”

The witch silently refuses the sentiment by rocking her head halfheartedly and the older woman observes her sadly. “Did you know that I was scared to death of losing you,” the wolf suddenly asks. Dark eyes flit up to her then. “I don’t have too many people that truly know me and accept who I am. So, the prospect of losing a piece of that was unsettling. I don’t know what I would’ve done had it turned out that way. And that still applies right now.” Bridget seems to process the admission and Keelin tilts her head out of habit. As they stare at each other the overabundance of emotions come pouring out. 

Between them is a broken dam of loss, fear of the unknown, confusion, adoration, care, strength, and love. It was nothing to get swept up in the current turbulence within their lives. 

Before she can properly register the whirlpool of her feelings, Keelin leans in to softly kiss the delicate woman. Although hesitant, Bridget reciprocates until her instincts bring her out of the fog. She jumps back and an awkward air settles around them.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that,” the werewolf apologizes. 

She watches as her friend stands up from the bed to slip her shirt back on. “I know, female energy. It’s already forgotten,” the witch remarks while looking away. The older woman goes to speak again just when the hammering of a visitor alerts them both. Keelin wordlessly volunteers to answer it by leaving the bedroom as the younger woman tries to make herself presentable. When she makes it to the front she opens the door to reveal an obviously bothered Freya. 

“Freya, what are you doing here?”

Without prompting, the taller woman enters the home before turning around to face her. “I need to talk to you about Bridget,” she asserts. Keelin furrows her eyebrows while examining her state. “Have you been drinking,” she asks suspiciously. Her questioning is met with the roll of green eyes. “I assure you that I’m in the right state of mind okay? It’s important that you listen to me.”

“I really can’t deal with your intense emotions right now. I have my own feelings to worry about,” the brunette sighs. The witch releases her own sigh of frustration. “You have to know the truth about Bridget,” she pushes again.

“What is the truth, Freya?” 

Bridget approaches and Freya protectively stands in front of Keelin as she looks on in confusion. “You’re unstable,” the Mikaelson declares. The younger witch scowls at her. “Excuse me? Kinda funny how I’m getting that diagnosis from a woman with blood on her hands, even some of my blood on her hands,” she throws back. The blonde clenches her jaw but raises her chin as her rival continues to speak. “I confided in you because it was the _only_ way to make it out of your so-called ‘mistake’ alive. And it took you what, point two seconds to try and use that against me?”

“This isn’t about pushing you out of the way to get to Keelin. You know that the safety of my family comes first, always.”

“Keelin already knows about my family history. I told her about my predisposition because I’m not a liar like you. You should be pleased to know that I even told her to stay away from me,” she reveals with strength. She folds her arms defensively. Freya fixes her mouth to speak but comes up short.

“I’m not going from one witch telling me what to do, to another. Both of you can’t make decisions for me. I’m perfectly capable of doing that on my own,” Keelin cuts in. “This goes deeper than you could ever understand, Keelin. If she inherits the disorder she’ll be nearly unstoppable.”

“So, what you’re going to put her down like a dog with rabies? She’s a person, Freya,” the doctor exclaims in disbelief. She steps from behind her and looks between the two witches before settling on her troubled friend. “We’ll figure this out okay? You cured me and I’m going to cure you somehow. I _promise_.”

Her hand extends out toward the woman who hesitates while the older witch feels her inner turmoil growing by the second. 

“Get away from her, Keelin!”

The demand is followed by an urgent pull and Bridget frowns at the older woman. She waves her own hand down, enacting a protective boundary around the werewolf and Freya widens her eyes. “You’re leaving me no choice now, Bridget.” 

The conclusion is drawn as she strides toward her opponent and grabs her wrist to neutralize her with an already prepared spell. But Bridget presses a thumb to her forehead making her disoriented as she stumbles back slightly. She can feel her spirit rattling around within her body until the younger witch decks her in the mouth. Freya is shocked and uses telekinesis to throw her high up into another wall, holding her there to come and stand below her.

“When it comes to my family, this is a fight that you can’t win. I’m warning you,” the older witch proclaims.

They stare at each other fiercely and within moments the older witch is flung back. Now released, Bridget comes up on the blonde jumping to her feet and receives a hard punch as greeting. She quickly recovers and drives the Mikaelson into the wall through the shelf before her own neck is grabbed by two hands. Freya drives her back into another wall while choking her and Bridget grabs onto her head to scramble her mind. An indescribable pain shoots through the older woman’s brain but her thoughts are untouched due to her rival losing a significant amount of oxygen. Without the concentration to complete her offensive spell, Bridget uses her strength to elbow Freya in the jaw. The latter releases the former and cradles her head allowing the younger witch to summon a dagger into the palm of her hand from thin air. 

“This is what you want from me right? A wicked witch to make you look like a saint,” the short-haired woman states.

Keelin’s eyes go wide and she tries to break the barrier around herself unsuccessfully. “Bridget! Stop,” she yells out. The witch keeps her eyes focused on the woman below her. “It won’t kill her,” she replies. “It’ll just make her hurt.” Freya looks up at the other witch in distress and confusion. Her features are eerily blank with no expression whatsoever. “Now how about I send you to your own private hell and we’ll see how _you_ turn out then?”

She then approaches her target who immediately extends a hand to halt her abruptly. The woman with the dagger pauses but breaks out of her hold within seconds. Freya pushes her power again rendering her rival immovable and tackles her to the floor before drawing blood with a strong backhand. Bridget appears to shift emotionally as she gazes up at the blonde before willing telekinesis to send her back into the wall.

“Mama,” a little voice calls.

All three adults whip their heads to find Mikaela loitering by the entryway with her favorite teddy bear in hand. Both witches suddenly feel ashamed with their brutal appearances. They each have a matching busted lip and visible bruises forming. Bridget also has a cut on her eyebrow from the first punch that Freya landed. While remaining in place, the caretaker waves a hand to break her own protective barrier and Keelin hurries over to swiftly pick the toddler up. She cradles her daughter’s head in her hand to soothe her as the pair in opposition look on with regret.


	19. NEW GRAMARYE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bridget leaves town in search of herself through her immense guilt; Greg decides to bring the team together in the wake of Bridget's absence; Keelin deals with the loss of a friend and comes to an understanding with Freya; Maxwell discovers a cellar full of plans to take Mikaela's essence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second to last chapter woot woot. Not really much to say since it's straightforward. But I've got a question *Deek voice* It's for research lol. So I'm extra but when werewolves transform willingly with their ring, what happens to the ring given that they have paws in wolf form?? Can somebody answer me this cause it's been bothering me haha. Does it just morph into them or disappear in thin air to come back later? I've got to know. 
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) Rae Morris - Don't Go: Bridget says goodbye to Greg and gives him a letter for Keelin at the bar before leaving town.
> 
> 2) Vancouver Sleep Clinic - Someone To Stay: Greg tries to propose team bonding for what's left of the group.
> 
> 3) Kalpee - What About Us: Freya and Keelin share a moment while playing with Mikaela.
> 
> 4) HAELOS - Sacred: Maxwell discovers the cellar that the cult occupied.
> 
> 5) Robot Koch - Heart as a River: Greg and Freya have a confrontation; Greg leaves to tend to the groundskeeper and Freya comforts Keelin.
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

The chattering of afternoon bar patrons fills the background for the pair of friends perched on their respective stools. Greg watches Bridget closely as she quietly takes a sip of her drink. “Running away isn’t suddenly going to make things okay, B.”

The witch sits up and gazes over at the man beside her. “I’m not running. I just need to figure things out for myself. Is that a crime,” she questions rhetorically. Her friend sighs while thinking for a moment. “Regardless, if you’re going to leave you should at least tell Keelin.” The woman looks away and down into her glass.

“I haven’t been able to face her since the fight with Freya. She calls and tries to catch me but…I just can’t right now. I let everything get to me and because of that I put a smudge on Mikaela’s innocence. She doesn’t deserve to know such violence.”

Greg offers a look of understanding. “Oh, I know. You _have_ been staying at my ancestral home after all. But when I told you to stop avoiding her I didn’t mean flee the country,” he replies. “I meant that you should communicate with her. She’s confused and missing her best friend. Bridget shakes her head of the guilty thoughts clamoring inside of it. “And I’m so thankful for that, really. You shouldn’t have to keep covering for me and it’s best for everyone that I go,” the woman reproves. 

She finally lifts her head to the werewolf with eyes that beg for an escape. Her friend knows that her decision has already been made. So, he sighs deeply in defeat before gazing at the duffle bag beside her bar stool.

“So, you’re taking off right away then?”

The caretaker nods in affirmation. “Yeah. As soon as I leave here, me and Denise are on the open road. I just wanted to say goodbye first. You deserved that much,” she remarks. Greg can’t help the light chuckle that slips out at the christened name for the woman’s blue SUV. But then a deep sadness brought on by the revelation sweeps in like a current. 

“I’m gonna miss you, witchy witch,” he admits with a grin.

Bridget provides her own bittersweet grin. “I’ll miss you too you giant puppy.” The jest is accompanied by her handing him a napkin. “Now pull yourself together before everyone in this bar finally sees just how soft you really are.”

He accepts the paper towel pushed to his chest with a laugh. “Alright, let’s not go too far now.” They stare at each other until the laughter settles down and then pull in for a hug. When it ends, the wolf notices his friend looking down. “Hey, what is it,” he questions with concern. The witch peers up at him while retrieving an item from the pocket of her jacket. Brown eyes observe her carefully as she hands over an envelope. He looks into her eyes before accepting it hesitantly.

“It’s for Keelin. And Mikaela too. Hell, there’s even a bit for Freya in there,” she reveals. There’s a moment of silence as she gathers her feelings. “Just because I feel too weak to face the music, doesn’t mean there aren’t things that I want to tell them.” 

Her head lowers slightly and Greg gives her sympathetic eyes. “You’re not weak, Bridget. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever known,” the man tries. She allows a halfhearted laugh to escape her lips. “You’re just saying that because you’re secretly in love with me,” she quips. The werewolf pulls back and the woman suddenly rises to her feet while throwing him a now serious look. “Just make sure that she gets it okay? Promise me that.” Her friend nods his head accordingly. “Of course. You know that I will,” he assures. Bridget returns the gesture in short and grabs her bag from the floor, slipping the strap onto her shoulder.

“I do. But if you take one peep I’ll kill you with a snap of my fingers from across the country.”

A pleased smile appears onto the witch’s lips gaining a pair of raised eyebrows in exchange. Greg promptly crosses his heart with a finger. “Understood, not so good witch of the south,” he remarks. Her face falls slightly and she looks down for a moment before blinking at the man.

“Take care of everyone while I’m gone. This village needs its legacy.”

Greg silently accepts the request and without another word, Bridget walks away.  
________________________________________

“I’m not an idiot. I know that you’ve been covering for her. I just didn’t want to push too hard. She’s clearly blaming herself for everything.”

Keelin impatiently waits for an explanation while staring at Greg with her arms folded. The man sighs and rubs his forehead for a second. “I told you that you’ll have everything you need to know about the situation. But first I want to propose something for all of us,” he claims. 

“And does this include the secret witch,” Maxwell chimes in from several feet away. He idly tinkers with the magical items on Bridget’s shelf without giving his full attention to the pair of werewolves. Greg comically turns to the mysterious man with a pointed finger. “You, my man that I’ve yet to meet. Please refrain from the uncharted questions for a minute. Thank you.”

The brunette in front of him quirks an unamused eyebrow. “Yeah, Greg. Is Bridget a part of this or are you still going to hide her away like a mole person,” she inquires seriously.

“I suppose that now this makes her the missing witch,” the brooding man adds again.

Greg raises his arms in frustration. “Okay, now I’m dreading the fact that I didn’t just present this idea to Freya first,” he remarks breathily. Keelin maintains her disposition and Maxwell only shrugs at the wolf before returning to his mindless task. “Look I’m sorry if I’m not a ball of sunshine, bouncing off the walls at the moment. But I just want to know if my friend is alright,” the lone woman replies. The man looks down at her sadly before the moment is interrupted. “I too would like to know about the secret witch’s whereabouts.”

Both werewolves eye the male witch incredulously. “Is he always this talkative,” Greg asks. Keelin shakes her head. “Not at all. He must miss her or something,” she quips. The tall man abandons his actions by stuffing his hands into his coat pockets. “I’ve only met her once. Not much to miss about her. I just think that her sudden absence is suspicious.”

“Says the guy dressed for an arctic expedition in southern Kentucky,” the male wolf throws in slight irritation. 

“That’s enough boys. The petty back and forth is not very appealing to my mood right now,” the woman chides. She turns toward her fellow doctor. “Can you just tell me where she is, if she’s okay?” Her eyes plead for any type of information regarding the Allentown witch and the man finds himself giving in by pulling out the plain white envelope from his back pocket. Keelin zones in on the item with questions written all over her face. Greg peers down at the last offering from his troubled friend. Then he extends it over to the curly-haired woman who hesitantly accepts it. 

“She wanted me to give this to you,” he explains with a sigh. “Like she requested, I didn’t look at it so don’t ask me what it says. I’m sorry that I wouldn’t tell you that she was staying at the ranch. Or that she was screening your calls. But she was vehement about it and I didn’t want to make things harder on her.”

Keelin gazes up from the envelope to study her friend. “She _was_ staying at the ranch?” The man breathes out regretfully. “Keelin, she left town yesterday. I don’t know where she’s going or if…when she’s coming back but she’s gone.” The revelation has the woman stumbling back slightly. “She just left without saying anything? Without talking to me for days,” she questions emotionally.

Greg only offers a quiet nod. “This is Bridget we’re talking about. Why would you just let her go like that?” Her friend takes in the frustrated tone and treads carefully. “When it comes down to it she’s her own person. I couldn’t just chain her up and hold her against her will. I didn’t want her to leave like that either but it was her decision,” he retorts. Keelin shakes her head and licks her lips while waving the envelope in the air.

“So, what is this? Huh? Is it supposed to bring me enough consolation while she’s completely AWOL?”

“I don’t know. All I know is that she feels terrible for what happened. She thinks that she failed you and Mikaela, everyone…herself. She said that she was going to figure things out on her own.”

The brunette withdraws into silence as she examines the object in her hand. The man steps up to her. “If anything, this is leading me to believe that we need to keep things together before it all falls apart. It’s what she wants. Yes, having her gone is a huge blow but…we need to be stronger. That’s why I want everyone to come out to the ranch for some team bonding,” he proposes.

Maxwell continues to spectate the scene with a quiet presence and Keelin looks up after a few moments. “Kind of hard to pull that off when we don’t even have everyone. What do we really have now? Bridget is off somewhere deep into the unknown. Me and Freya are broken up. Maxwell is antisocial and prefers to work alone. You’re the only person still standing. Somehow you have it all together unlike the rest of us,” she rants mildly. Greg softens his features at the admission.

“Despite what you may believe, I _don’t_ have it all together,” he counters. “But what I do have is hope for better things. And with Bridget gone I should step up into place. The void she left can’t be filled but we can at least rise to the occasion for her sake, for Mikaela’s sake.”

At the mention of her daughter, Keelin perks up. In her heart she knows that all her friend wanted to do was protect the little girl. That was always a huge concern for her. Mikaela was instantly fond of the woman from the beginning. Bridget gave her care, guidance, understanding and taught her things. To know that the witch was considering all that she’s done for the hybrid as a failure deeply hurts her. And as if that isn’t sad enough, now the toddler is left wondering where her beloved “B.B.” is. Perhaps the legacy werewolf had a point or two about coming together in such a dire time.

With the sudden touch of faith, Keelin shows her shared belief with a slow nod.  
________________________________________

At the ranch, Greg saunters into the family room with Mikaela clinging to his chest. The pair have just returned from an hour of brushing and petting the ponies that the hybrid so deeply enjoys. “The weather seems to be shifting into an ugly storm. How about dinner and some games,” the host proposes. His guests are not the most enthusiastic about it but nod nonetheless. “So, steak and mashed potatoes it is. It’s my specialty.” He gently lowers Mikaela to her feet and makes his way to the kitchen without another word. While sitting on the couch nearby, Maxwell offers Mr. Bear to the toddler by lightly tilting its head in a back and forth motion. The child gladly comes over to him to receive her cherished stuffed animal.

Freya stands against the wall as she quietly observes the distracted state of Keelin who’s perched on the other end of the sofa. Moments pass by and she finds herself unable to bear the wondrous thoughts. So, she strolls across the sizable room and lowers herself down right next to the woman on the couch.

“Is everything alright,” she asks.

Keelin looks at her with an almost neutral expression. However, the Mikaelson sees right through it. “It’s nothing, I’m fine,” she replies simply. The older woman tilts her head, unconvinced. “How you feel is not nothing and I know you well enough to know when something’s bothering you.” The werewolf remains quiet and suddenly Mikaela comes marching over to them.

“Play,” she asks while hopping about. Both of her parents beam at her and promptly agree to the request.

They slip down from the furniture to rest on the floor. The toddler moves to supply each of them with a delightful kiss and goes to collect her scattered building blocks. Keelin watches her daughter with a grin as Freya quietly gazes at her before lighting the fireplace with her magic. Mikaela drops the last few blocks into her toy container and pushes it to halt in between her parents. “Bear-zilla,” she announces with an excited yell. Her two mothers chuckle knowingly before jumping into their task of creating towers for the teddy bear to knock over. When the werewolf had allowed her baby to watch the old movies and created the silly game, she hadn’t expected it to stick. But it had become one of the little girl’s favorite pastimes. 

The toddler plops down onto the carpet and gets to work on her own building. Keelin retrieves another block from the container as her senses begin to tingle. “I can feel you stealing glances,” she remarks out loud. Her eyes flit up to the blonde a few feet away from her. Freya peers down briefly as a wave of vulnerability settles over her.

“I’m sorry,” she apologizes after a second. “I just feel guilty about the way I’ve been. I would be a hopeless monster without the love of Mikaela. She cared more about my wounds than how reckless I was with her favorite teacher.” The witch pauses for a moment and shakes her head. Her ex watches her carefully in anticipation. “I’m sorry about the whole situation. And for hurting you and making our daughter shed tears in the process. I regret it all, everything.”

Keelin takes some time to examine the genuine timbre of her voice and the remorseful light of her eyes. “I forgive you, Freya. But that type of behavior can’t happen again. I know that you get so deep into that protective mode but how about just protecting her innocence? We _need_ to protect that piece of her.” Freya nods in understanding and kisses the top of her daughter’s head as she busily constructs her little fortress.

“I promise that I’ll do right by her,” the older woman vows.  
________________________________________

Sometime in the evening, Keelin found herself wandering around the beautiful home. It houses the right amount of spaciousness and coziness if that is even possible. Something about it gives her a warm feeling of family. Perhaps it’s the grand legacy it holds from its generations of founders. Although she is aware of Greg’s rocky relationship with his family, she still can’t help but to wonder why he hasn’t just settled into the place for good. It reminds her a lot of him. 

As she strolls down the hallway a familiar scent overtakes her nose. It leads her to a well-kept bedroom and instantly she’s reminded of the loss of her friend. This is the place that Bridget had occupied when she completely shut her out after the fight. 

Instinctively, she looks down at the letter in her hand before dropping down onto the bed. It remains there untouched for what seems like hours until she finally decides to open it. She slips the paper out of the envelope and gazes at the woman’s almost regal handwriting. With a deep breath she begins reading the words in her head.

_Keelin,_

_First off, I want to say that I’m so soo sorry that I’m even writing this instead of just telling you everything straight to your face. I just don’t think that I’m strong enough. I hope that you can understand that at some point if not right away. I’m so ashamed because I never expected to be apologizing for hurting the people that you care about. I don’t deserve your forgiveness or compassion for what I’ve done but I still wanted to tell you how sorry I am anyway. There’s just this dark cloud hanging over my head and I’m trying so desperately to escape it. I thought that my past would stay in the past but this whole experience has shown me that it won’t. Not until I figure out a way to defeat it. And I can’t do that while I’m around you or anyone else that I hold dear. It’s just too dangerous and I don’t ever want to get to the point where I’m drowning in regret for my actions. I really let myself down when I resorted to violence and rage. I never meant for that to happen or any of what happened after. I never wanted you or Mikaela to see me in that light. I never meant to make her cry or worry about me. I didn’t deserve her loving and unconditional care. She deserves so much more, Keelin. Not all of the fighting. I don’t want to be the one to teach her about a dark nature that lives in this world. I showed myself to be a monster when I should’ve shown myself to be a person of true strength. No matter what I never want to do that again and I’ve sworn it to myself. So, I’m leaving. I’m not sure where I’ll go or when I’ll get there but I know that I need to find myself. Deep down I’ve been lost for far too long and it’s not helping anyone. I don’t know when we’ll see each other again. I know that it will be hard but I don’t think that talking would be for the best either. At least not for now. It would only make the process harder. But I want you to take care of yourself and that beautiful little girl of yours okay? You guys are a match made in heaven. And I’m pretty sure that you’ll have Greg to crack jokes that aren’t even funny half the time, while cooking you the only meal that he knows how to prepare. Beware, you’ll get sick of the steak and potatoes. Your friend Maxwell is kind of endearing in his own woeful way once you get past the cold demeanor. And of course, you don’t have a problem making nice with every single face you see. You’ll be fine with one less of those. You’ll be fine without me. My apology also extends to Freya because I would’ve never forgiven myself had I seriously hurt her. I understand that family means everything to her and I would never want to get in the way of that. I think that when she considers what’s in her heart she knows that it’s the truth. Just because she’s the so-called wicked witch of the south, doesn’t mean that she’s completely heartless. If anything, the foremost thing I’ve gathered about her is just how fiercely she loves. And I respect that about her if nothing else. Well, I guess that I should end this here. I have some things to pack. Don’t worry about needing to leave. I trust you with my bachelorette pad among other things. I know that you’ll take care of it just as you’ve taken care of me. Stay for as long as you need to. I hope to see you again someday soon. You’ve been one of the greatest friends I’ve ever known and I love you for it._

_Yours truly,_

_Bridget_

Keelin quickly folds the paper up and places it back into the crisp white envelope. She thought that she couldn’t feel any worse about the situation but within a few moments that’s been made false. The idea of the caretaker blaming herself for everything that went wrong was already a given. But she had not expected her to feel so deeply responsible to the point of ostracizing herself. And then to do so without any type of warning until after the fact. A deep pain is settling into her chest at the thought of her impressionable friend being out in the world alone. Although she doesn’t want to join the blame game, she can’t help but feel like she played her own part by getting in between two emotional witches. 

Maybe if she was better at handling things it wouldn’t have gone so far. There were definitely things that she could’ve done differently. For starters, not kissing her obviously struggling friend out of her own selfish need and not allowing her just as tortured ex to nudge at her pain. But it doesn’t matter now because there is nothing she can do to change things or bring her back. She simply doesn’t want to be found by her.

A ragged sigh filters out of her lungs as she tries to clear her head. Suddenly the lights shut off and she finds herself in pitch black darkness. Or so she would’ve had it not been for her super wolf sight accessible via moonlight ring. 

Standing up, she makes her way back to the family room and is greeted with the bright beam of a flashlight. The abrupt shift from night vision to standard throws her for a loop.

“Mind turning the brights off, legacy?”

“Oh, sorry about that,” Greg pardons. He promptly guides the light from out of his friend’s face. “It’s pouring down pretty hard. Can’t believe you didn’t hear the mess out there.” Keelin peers down at her hands briefly. “I was a bit distracted. Anything I can do,” she offers. The man shakes his head in protest. “Nope, just relax. I’ll have to go turn on the backup generator in the garage.

“Since you’ve been quite the host, I think that I should go,” Maxwell pipes up. Both werewolves look at his face illuminated with candlelight. “I’m clearly the only one properly prepared already.” He gestures to his long coat and they only shrug in response. “Well, thanks. My man with the never-failing outerwear on the job,” the host quips. “It’s just right through there.”

Maxwell nods and follows the pointed direction leading him out of the door and to his destination. He easily accesses the generator and brings life back into the home. Just as he turns to reenter the main house his dark eyes catch an older man standing outside in the rain. His curiosity peaks and he taps a button on the wall to lift up the garage door. A few strides and he’s right next to the entranced man wearing a white t-shirt and baseball cap. 

He examines his glazed over eyes and quiet presence. But before he can question deeper the man suddenly walks away in a robotic state. The witch follows closely behind as they round one corner of the house and upon catching up, Maxwell finds the stranger brutally knocking his head against the brick wall. Thick eyebrows raise in confusion at the scene but his observant nature allows his eyes to fall on the old cellar door right below the afflicted man. 

Without another thought he swiftly enters and walks down the concrete steps. The darkness engulfs him until he magically brightens the flame of his candle. The long, damp tunnel leads him to an open space and he spins around for a moment. He concentrates his magic and lights a plethora of candles residing around the basement. The sight of the place is a shock to his perpetually indifferent system. 

On nearly every wall are writings, drawings, and maps. A glimpse of a child’s face gains his attention and he is slightly shaken when he is staring right into familiar hazel eyes. He snatches the photograph of Mikaela off of the wall and holds it in his hand. Then he gazes back up to the ravaged concrete. His eyeline travels across it until it halts at a specific piece. There on the parchment is the description of a ritual that causes his eyes to widen immensely. Right next to it is a note with bold red letters. _WE WANT YOU_.  
________________________________________

Maxwell strides into the family room and all eyes fall on him as he holds up the scratched picture of Mikaela in his hand. “It has been brought to my attention that we’ve had surprise visitors among us for some time,” he announces. Keelin rises from her seat, followed by Freya as Mikaela runs around to pick up her toys. “Maxwell. What the hell is going on,” the brunette questions cautiously. The tall man lowers the photograph with a grave expression.

“I went out to restore this home and I encountered some strange man in work clothes. He was in some kind of trance and I followed him to discover an old cellar,” he explains before stepping forward. “The cellar hasn’t been used in ages,” Greg cuts in. “Wrong,” Maxwell throws plainly. “Within the cellar right underneath this house is a ploy against Mikaela. I saw, with my own eyes a whole strategy mounted against her. It’s a ritual to obtain her essence for power during the upcoming new moon. They could’ve been watching her the entire time she’s been in this village for preparation. Or had spies until they decided to show.”

The three adults gaze at the serious man with traumatized features and Keelin speaks up first.

“You’re saying that they’ve been right underneath us this whole time?”

The male witch softens his face a bit but is interrupted before he can even speak. “You,” Freya spits as she turns to Greg. “You’ve been housing ninety-nine maniacs who want to use my daughter’s soul as a plug-n-play. For all we know you could’ve been leading us right to them under the pretense of your _bonding_.” 

Greg furrows his eyebrows at the accusation and the blonde steps right up to him. “Keelin, get your paranoid witch,” he warns. The appointed woman comes in between them and Maxwell interrupts. “Before you go ripping the werewolf to shreds I should say that I don’t believe him to be a part of this. They’ve brought enough power to render the groundskeeper a mere vessel while concocting their grand scheme. They didn’t need a man that was barely here and they were clearly reveling in their newfound potential,” he offers. 

“I need to see if John is okay,” Greg declares. “Well, he’s currently beating his own head against the wall literally. So, _you_ decide if it’s the guilt or magic,” Maxwell quips. The host shakes his head dismally before pushing past both of the witches in his way. He abruptly halts in the walkway and spins around, surrendering his arms in the air. “Look, I’m sorry everyone. I just wanted to keep everything together. I didn’t know that witch worshippers were taking up camp in a home I barely visit. I haven’t been spending too much time on the property other than rallying the horses from time to time. I’m sorry.”

The werewolf swiftly exits to go tend to the groundskeeper and Mikaela stalks over to hold Maxwell’s hand unsuspectingly. A distraught Keelin suddenly falls back onto the couch with her head in her hands. She’s unable to speak and the two witches present gaze at her with great sorrow. Freya crouches down in front of the stressed woman. “Hey,” she remarks softly. She gently detaches the younger woman’s hands from her face to cradle it carefully. Tearful brown eyes peer down at her tiredly. “I will never let them hurt her. No one will take our baby away from us ever,” the Mikaelson proclaims while shaking her head. 

The nearly defeated woman in front of her finally nods to keep it together for their child and the blonde nods in return before hugging her tightly. Maxwell and Mikaela spectate the scene quietly.


	20. NEW MOON

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the new moon nears, the gang prepares for the final battle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Bumps We Made It** And so we finally come to the conclusion of this chapter of Freelin and full circle from the first story. I think we're all ready for a little light so the next story will be pulling back the curtains a bit. But hey with all the drama and enemies you know that there's always gonna be a little darkness. Either way the Freelin was has come to an end so everyone can stop crying lol. Now I say all the time that I hate when tv shows do this buttttt there's two new characters in this chapter that are solely there to be killed lmao. Somebody has to run the show and somebody has to go smh. Anyway I'm putting up the full story soundtrack now and I will take any questions about the next story.
> 
> MUSIC:
> 
> 1) why mona - We Will Rock You: The cult members arrive at the New Moon Festival.
> 
> 2) Hidden Citizens - Somebody's Watching Me: Mikaela sets the food truck aflame.
> 
> 3) Dia Frampton - Never Tear Us Apart: Cecilia releases Mikaela to Freya, etc.
> 
> 4) Tedy - We Will Be Loved: Freya, Keelin, Bridget, Maxwell, and Greg by the fireplace at the end.
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/user/beatnik.jones/playlist/5IPx25dvwObkSKGg1RpKY6
> 
> http://abrighteyedbandit.tumblr.com/

Freya hovers tirelessly over her work table in the farm shed. It’s been a nonstop cycle of thinking dire thoughts and doing strenuous spells. She needed a weapon strong enough to counteract anything that the cult might use against her and Mikaela. Though she now knows what their goal is for sure, they purposely didn’t leave their entire hand in the matter. Essentially, she was going in blind and that meant that she needed anything with the simple premise of power.

Luckily, Bridget had opted to leave the bulk of her magical collection and Freya knows that it was intentional. The woman is a passionate protector like herself and that is one of the few things that they could agree on. 

It didn’t take long for the Mikaelson to settle on claiming her rival’s dagger. She had felt the immense power of it during their confrontation and she was fortunate not to have to see the younger witch wield it. It was apparent that the results would’ve been more than devastating and that is the truth of the matter. With the enemies that she is prompted to face displaying acts of great capability, she knows that this specific weapon is a necessary addition to her hand.

Currently, she’s quietly chanting an incantation to put the final touches on her newest tool. What was already a supreme weapon of destruction, is now amplified by the ashes of her enemies and her own blood to will it as she sees fit. With her and Bridget’s magic combined, she knows that it will be nearly unstoppable.

She lifts the dagger to the light and examines it with a pleased expression before setting it aside. Then she directs her attention to the golden scepter on top of the wooden table. For as long as she’s had it in her possession, she has failed to crack its code. But it would have to be done now with her darkest fear looming over her.

Her eyes close and she takes a breath in before opening them to study the object. The magic she needs to unlock its power would require near perfect concentration with no distractions whatsoever. So, without wasting any more time she secures her intense focus. The scepter begins to glow and within moments her mind shifts.

**_“Quacumque die invocavero te, exaudi me quis quis. Vitam pro vita. Fata et fatorum. Unum fit alterum. Exaudi me.”_ **

**_After several moments, a blue flame-like light manifests in the middle of the boundary circle. She maintains the connection as she begins drawing the symbols on a piece of parchment. Upon finishing she tosses it into the fire and watches the flames spring up. Her eyes narrow as she concentrates with all the intensity she can muster. With so much focus its power grows and grows until it’s raging like a wildfire. Right when it happens she feels the slight loss of control._ **

**_But if she pulls back now all of her work would be erased. She strains to contain it but the flame connects to the scepter sitting on the wooden table. A newly added component could have unforeseen consequences, she knows this but just as Ruben had warned, she’s unable to stop the ritual._ **

**_The blue flame bursts with energy and Freya’s nose begins to bleed profusely. Spirit-like chains rise from the fire and wrap around Keelin’s frame. A line extends to the cult member and chains her body as well. The chains materialize for a brief moment before disintegrating back into the fire. By now Freya is bleeding from her eyes and ears but pushes herself to the limit._ **

**_The flame bursts upward toward the ceiling a final time as the new moon arrives and the ritual is complete._ **

**_Freya hunches over the table as a migraine sets in, pounding on her temples. All the exertion of her magic is leaving her feeling nearly drained. Suddenly she’s startled by the young cult member awakening with a scream. The woman screeches in great pain and Freya watches in horror as her unborn child withers away._ **

The painful visions of her sacrifice disrupt her foundation and her magic is instantly rendered unusable. In a burst of rage, she throws a grimoire from the table and plants her hands downward on the wooden surface. A battered sigh escapes her as she heaves quietly.

Without notice, Greg files into the space while whistling. He’s carrying a cardboard box and discerns her state before sitting it down on the table. “Maybe you should take it easy witchy witch number two,” he quips with added concern.

“I will once my daughter is safe from that twisted cult. Until then I will do whatever it takes.”

The werewolf offers a look of understanding as he stares at her hunched over position. “That will be pretty hard to do if you’re overworked and dying from exhaustion. You haven’t slept a wink for three days straight. Cut yourself a break,” he advises. Freya gazes over at the box on the table but maintains her post.

“What do you have there,” she redirects. 

Greg shakes his head at her persistence but answers anyway. “It’s all of the things that the cult left behind in the cellar.” From the box he pulls out the note with blood red letters printed on it. “It’s creepy stuff,” he remarks. The witch looks away and down at the scepter in front of her.

“They’re just deranged people that have nothing better to do than to destroy the light within my darkness. But I won’t let that happen. They won’t replace my hope with misery.”  
________________________________________

At Bridget’s house, Maxwell works on an augmented boundary spell for the place. “I’ve completed a very potent protection spell on the ranch. This one should fare just as well by keeping the cult from getting too close. I don’t believe that they have any intention of visiting the homebase but it’s always best to be safe rather than sorry,” he remarks.

Keelin listens closely and nods as she holds Mikaela in her arms. “So, what’s the plan,” she inquires. The witch continues his work on the spell. “The witch and the werewolf are working on that now. All you can do is wait I’m afraid.” His reply is met with an exasperated sigh from the woman. “With Bridget gone and this cult playing hide n seek I’m currently losing it, Maxwell.” The tall man finishes his work and approaches the discouraged werewolf. 

“The secret witch has left behind more than enough items to aid them and I’m sure that Freya’s persistence isn’t all in vain at the moment,” he offers.

The brunette nods halfheartedly as her daughter suddenly bursts with joy. “Macks,” the toddler exclaims. The witch observes as Mikaela conjures what has become their trademark flower, making its petals float just as Maxwell had done before. Both adults watch in amazement as the child smiles gleefully. 

“She has an extraordinary memory and apparently the witch’s prowess. I conjure it up from my own childhood memory,” the man comments. “Her magic only gets stronger the more she grows. Freya has concerns about potentially not being able to contain it at some point. That’s why she’s so adamant about allowing her to get in tune with her powers,” Keelin explains. “When I was pregnant with her, she could access my mind so maybe she’s done that with you unknowingly.” 

Maxwell straightens up. “My mind is much too dark to test that theory but perhaps we could use the legacy werewolf’s average brain for a trial run,” he quips.

The woman chuckles at the joke and gains a genuine grin from her friend.  
________________________________________

The group gathers in the family room at the ranch.

“The safest place for Mikaela to be tonight is at the New Moon Festival. The entire village will be there providing the biggest distraction we have,” Greg declares. “There we can drive them out on the outskirts of the celebration and neutralize whatever power they’re using.”

Freya and Maxwell nod in agreement but Keelin bites her lip with uncertainty. 

“What if we don’t have enough to fight back with? We can’t even completely anticipate what we’re up against,” the wolf states. “I may know what’s up their sleeves,” Maxwell speaks up. Everyone provides their attention to him then. “I went back over with my readings due to our new knowledge. And I felt powerful energy that I recognize to belong to a merchant known as Orlando. He’s quite the entrepreneurial spirit and makes his rounds whenever the right price is involved. I’ve already contacted him about any recent purchases.”

The other three adults are half surprised by the mysterious man playing super sleuth detective.

“So, that’s what you’ve been up to,” Freya remarks while folding her arms. “You’re not the only one who can get a job done,” Maxwell throws back. “I’ll focus on that matter and it will be prepared when we need it.”

“I’m already covering the perimeter of the grounds with the help of my connection to the board,” Greg informs. The other werewolf in the room rolls her eyes. “So, you’re sneaking around with your secret keys,” she states plainly. The man shrugs in response. “Yeah, that.” Keelin shakes her head at his antics. “It’s all mapped out,” he assures.

Freya chimes in with a suggestion. “Perhaps we should create a decoy.” The male wolf immediately shakes his head in protest. “No. That’s too dangerous,” he claims. The blonde tilts her head incredulously. “I mean with magic. Obviously, everyone is still thinking of me as the wicked child killing witch,” she retorts exasperatedly. Greg and Keelin stare at her quietly. “I’m still in fact thinking it,” Maxwell remarks. 

“Regardless, we shouldn’t wear ourselves thin with all the extra theatrics. Sticking to the plan is what’s best,” Greg concludes firmly.

Everyone gazes at each other while mentally preparing.  
________________________________________

Later on, Freya watches quietly from the doorway as Keelin gets Mikaela ready for the festival. The toddler is donning a bright orange jacket and the witch smiles sadly at the scene. Suddenly, Greg saddles up beside her. “Everything is ready when you are,” he informs. The blonde nods accordingly and crosses her arms. The werewolf examines her before following her vision to the mother and daughter ahead of them. Then he looks back to her and places a hand on her shoulder. “Mikaela is going to survive this,” he proclaims. 

She offers him a small smile while nodding in short and he leaves her with her little family.

Keelin stands up and grabs their daughter’s hand to lead her over to the doorway. Green eyes flit up from the child to the younger woman. “Everything is ready,” the witch states softly. The brunette nods sadly and peers down at the floor. “Hey, everything is well prepared, so you don’t need to worry. You know that I would never allow the cult to utilize our daughter as a ploy for power,” she affirms. The werewolf provides another gesture of understanding although still unconvinced.

“I’m just worried for everyone…what if Mikaela loses one of us in the process,” she proposes gloomily.

The older woman tilts her head sympathetically and cradles her face. “I will do everything in my power to ensure that she gets to keep both of her parents. Mikaela doesn’t deserve the same motherless fate as me. She will have more than that.”

Brown eyes bore into green ones. “You can’t promise that. Neither can I,” the wolf counters. The blonde smiles softly at her. “But I can try,” she proclaims. Keelin looks down for a moment as she processes their mission. “It’s time to go now, Keelin.” Freya steps aside to allow her family out first and gazes around the bedroom one last time before closing the door behind them.  
________________________________________

Keelin and Freya arrive at the festival with their lifeline situated between them, holding each of their hands. Both parents scan their surroundings for any lurking danger while Mikaela grows excited by the amount of people and colorful lights. Within their minds, Greg chimes away loud and clear.

“I’m scanning the perimeter and it’s all clear of impeccably dressed fanatics.”

His fellow werewolf cringes at the telepathic connection. “I’m still not used to the mystical brain walkie talkie spell that Maxwell put on us. Why couldn’t we just use bad ass earpieces again,” she inquires. “This is much cooler,” her friend retorts. The witch rolls her eyes at the useless conversation. “Stop being children and focus on the task at hand,” she chides.

“Okay, old lady,” the werewolves reply in unison. 

Mikaela releases her hold on Keelin and points to the Ferris wheel. “That,” she exclaims. Her mother protests with a shake of her head. “You can’t ride that, Roo Roo.” As expected the toddler turns to meet her other mother’s eyes silently. Freya peers down at her knowingly. “How about we go see the animals instead? Alright,” she negotiates. “I think they might have ponies.” Hazel eyes light up with joy. “Ponies!” The mother smiles in response just as some stranger bumps into her. “Sorry,” he apologizes.

A weird feeling makes her bones tingle and within an instant she’s halting the young man with her magic. “Freya, stop,” Keelin scolds in a hushed tone. The drunken festival goer gazes at her with enlarged eyes. Realizing her actions, the witch promptly relinquishes him, and he stumbles away with a shake of his head. “Whoa, that was trippy,” he states delayed. The werewolf practically glares at her paranoid ex.

“You can’t be so quick to unleash your mighty sorcery on unsuspecting villagers. Even if they are obnoxiously drunk.”

“Well, I was just thinking of the children,” the older woman quips.

Greg chimes in on the matter. “I still don’t know why people even still bring their kids to this thing after dark. It’s not exactly your typical family affair. The little family finally arrives by the horses much to Mikaela’s pleasure. In the distance, a hazy white light captures Keelin’s attention and whispers assault her ears. While mindlessly looking in the other direction she addresses the other woman. “I’ll be right back.” Freya furrows her eyebrows before holding the smaller woman back by the arm. “We need to stay together. It’s too dangerous,” she declares.

The brunette whips around to face the Mikaelson. “I’m not letting those psychos get to my daughter, Freya. Stay here until I get back. I know what I’m doing.” She leaves before her statement receives an argument and follows her senses to the concert area where younger intoxicated people are waiting for a show. Several feet away she spots a strangely dressed figure and follows her through the crowd. It isn’t long before she finds herself colliding into another body moving in the opposite direction.

“Oh man, Keelin?”

Brown eyes blink to recognize Mikaela’s favorite babysitter. “Oh, hey KC,” Keelin greets distractedly. The teenager beams at her happily without seeming to notice her state. “If I had known you were coming we could’ve totally done some rides together,” she remarks. The older woman looks over her shoulder to see that the figure is gone. Then her eyes flit back down to the girl in front of her. 

“That sounds fun KC, but I have to get going actually.”

A slightly disappointed expression plays across the babysitter’s face but she offers a smile nonetheless. The taller woman turns around within the crowd and hurriedly makes her way back to her family. _Maybe Freya’s unfailing paranoia is finally rubbing off on me_. She finds them right where she left them next to the animal pen and the witch appears relieved to see her in one piece.

“Greg, can we have an update please,” the wolf asks. She patiently waits for an answer that never comes. “Greg. What’s going on? Is the festival all clear,” she tries again. Keelin and Freya share a concerned look between them as worst-case scenarios come piling in. The latter begins scanning the area as the former attempts to zone into her mind to reestablish contact with her friend. 

At another end of the grounds, the bulk of the cult enter the festival on a mission. Drunk patrons marvel at their matching all white attire as if they’re the band performing. Freya suddenly senses strong magic as they storm on the place in search of Mikaela. Her features harden.

“Keelin. Take Mikaela and run while I draw them out.”

The werewolf gazes at her and hesitates due to the urgency in the order. “But Freya…” The blonde shakes her head in opposition. “I know what you’re thinking and I’m telling you that I can handle it. I _will_ make it,” she affirms. The two women stare at each other for a moment before becoming embroiled in a kiss. Despite their recent separation neither can bear the thought of losing the other again without some form of a goodbye. They pull away quickly and green eyes intensify. “You have to go,” the older woman demands fiercely.

Mikaela is passed off to Keelin who immediately flees into the packed crowd. Freya watches briefly before closing her eyes to manifest her magic as a decoy. The cult is coming in hot and she knows that they have access to the same tools as her. They would surely pick up on her energy and come guns blazing right into her trap.

She takes off towards the outskirts of the festival with determination. When she reaches her little plot of land she drops down to her knees and begins digging with her hands. The shallow hole reveals the golden scepter she waits as the cult appears behind her. Already a step ahead she whips around to raise Bridget’s dagger at them brutally. The power of the weapon is so strong it instantly disintegrates the members. 

Smoke rises from the piles of ashes and Freya steps forward to examine the remains. The weapon of mass destruction that she was anticipating is nowhere to be found. And judging by the number of piles in the aftermath she concludes that she was only dealing with a fraction of the cult. The realization of the mere distraction to separate her from her family sends her right into distress. 

“No, no, no,” she chants frantically before grabbing the scepter. With tragedy weighing heavy on her mind she’s running back to the main street.  
________________________________________

Keelin is pushing through the crowd of people when a deep voice filters in through her head. “I’m present with an update on the amulet that the cult is using,” Maxwell informs. “Orlando was paid handsomely to bind the jewelry with the remains of their former cult leader. He was the father of the child that Freya sacrificed. With the new leader’s blood also bound to it they can wield its power, even as regular humans. So, I need you to meet me on Main Street.”

“Okay,” the woman responds accordingly. 

She moves even faster through the sea of bodies until her eyes spot various white clad strangers. They each are loitering around different attractions within the vicinity and it sends a chill down her spine. Through gaps of space, she can see them staring at her past the crowds of visitors. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that she’s cornered so she opts to run in the other direction behind a thrill ride. Unfortunately, it sends her right into a red-haired woman who leers at her. Before she can react, a syringe punctures her skin causing her body to sag down sluggishly. 

“A lethal dose of wolfsbane to meet your end,” the pale woman remarks. Keelin stares at her with wide eyes. “Strip the child away from her.”

A tall man with dark hair steps forward to grab Mikaela from shaky arms. Keelin tries to yell out in resistance but finds the howl trapped in her closing throat. Her powerless body drops to the ground as she surrenders to her internal wounds. The toddler flails her little arms in distress as she fights the cult member’s hold on her. The man covers her mouth as they begin to walk away from the scene. Mikaela’s agitated struggling causes her talisman to fall into the grass, hidden. 

Her unsuppressed magic sets a nearby food truck ablaze and the worker quickly grabs a fire extinguisher to put it out. The fire starts spreading and other workers race to kill the flames while the cult members flee with their prize. 

Soon after, Maxwell strides past the smoldering display before noticing a slightly obscured body lying behind a festival ride. He hurries over to discover Keelin peering up with narrowed eyes and settles beside her. “The cult took Mikaela. A woman with red hair injected me with wolfsbane. I don’t know the dosage. But she said it was lethal and I feel pretty crappy,” she updates weakly.

The witch carefully holds her head up in preparation. “I can save your life, but it’s going to be painful. Maybe even a little bit spirit crushing,” he remarks. Blood pours out of the werewolf’s mouth causing her to cough. “Just do it,” Keelin demands feebly. Maxwell tilts his head with a slight wince as he readies himself. Then with his magic he proceeds to extract the substance from her blood.

________________________________________

The cult members file into an old church after the red-haired woman. She stops in front of her leader who smiles in satisfaction before stroking her cheek. Another member latches a magic suppressing bracelet onto Mikaela’s wrist as the cult leader approaches her.

“Hi Mikaela, I’m Abraham,” he introduces himself. “You’re a very special girl, you know that? And you’re going to be a part of something greater than us all.”

Tears cascade down the little hybrid’s cheeks. “Mama,” she cries out. “Mommy!” The shrill screams disturb the long-haired man and he places a finger to his lips. “Shhh,” he demonstrates. “Cecilia. Get her dressed for the ritual.”

The red-haired woman follows the order and relieves the dark-haired man of the wailing toddler. Other women trail behind her as she takes the baby away. The male subjugate steps closer to his leader with a questioning look. 

“How will we complete the ritual without the scepter to bind the child to,” he asks.

“Jacob, you underestimate me sometimes. I will just tell you now that we will have a special visitor soon enough who will personally give back what’s ours,” Abraham confirms. His confidence is enough to gain a nod from the other man and then he’s left alone to his thoughts.  
________________________________________

Freya runs through the night panicking at the loss of Mikaela on her radar. Her senses had instantly detected her daughter’s magic but now the trail is cold. A feverish pain claims her body and at one point it’s almost enough to render her unconscious. But just as her hope is waning she feels the presence of Maxwell. The next thought on her mind is to locate the elusive man and obtain what she needs to defeat the monsters after her child. When she finally gets to her destination she catches sight of the male witch hovering over Keelin. Immediately, she’s at the woman’s side.

“What happened here,” she asks frantically. The man continues his task without looking at her. “I’m removing a significant amount of wolfsbane from her bloodstream.” Freya already has tears in her eyes. “I can feel it too,” she remarks sadly. 

“Freya,” Keelin tries. The older woman promptly shushes her to no avail. “Hey, I’m feeling better already.” The blonde shakes her head in disbelief. “Freya, you need to find Mikaela. They took her right out of my arms, they took her,” the wolf notifies. Although she nods in understanding, the witch hesitates while examining her fragile form. 

“She will have her full strength back once I’m done,” Maxwell assures.

Green eyes stare at him for a moment before disappearing without a trace.  
________________________________________

Freya trudges up the hill as the church hidden by fog comes into view. By way of her own blood and a locator spell tailored for finding offspring she was able to discover the hideout. She makes it to the doors and readies herself before pushing through them. Her eyes fall on Greg chained to the wall of the alter and he seems to notice her arrival as well. “Freya, don’t fall for the trap” he warns loudly. Abraham rises from a pew and exits the row to approach her, standing just feet away. 

“Well, hello my grand invited guest. My name is Abraham and I’m so thankful for you delivering my scepter. And just in time, look at that.”

The witch grits her teeth. “I’m not giving you anything. But I am taking my daughter back and punishing you for what you’ve done,” she declares seriously. The long-haired man grins at her. “But I’ve been taking good care of precious Mikaela,” he retorts. Freya trembles with anger. “If you’ve harmed one hair on her head, I will make you suffer the most painful death that I can conjure.” 

“Slow down honey. I want to invite you to have a look-see. My congregation is known to be very welcoming,” he claims. Freya surges forward to inflict pain on her enemy and unwittingly enters a barrier that instantly encases her magic. Abraham steps up and snatches the scepter right from under her. “Thank you for that, darling.” The Mikaelson strikes the barrier angrily. “There’s no use in fighting at this point. Behold,” he remarks with a gesture of his arm.

The cult members march into the vicinity with Mikaela in a white dress with frills. Freya instinctually softens her features at the sight of her daughter. “Now isn’t she a beautiful thing,” Abraham inquires proudly. Hazel eyes lock onto green eyes within a moment. “Mama,” the toddler calls out. Tears unwillingly fall from her mother’s eyes. 

“Dry those eyes because what we have here is the ultimate savior. Probably more so than our original prince thanks to your will and power,” the cult leader chimes.

“You won’t get away with this,” Freya tearfully proclaims. The blonde man tilts his head at her. “Say goodbye now, Mama.” At that remark the witch begins striking the barrier around her with all her strength. She’s unwilling to give up as she watches the devil turn away to conduct the ritual. At the alter Greg attempts to break the chains imprisoning him but he isn’t strong enough to match them.

Without warning, the doors blow open like a bomb imploding. Bridget strides in while sending members through the windows by waving her hand. Every face present is plastered with astonishment. “Continue the ritual,” Abraham orders while walking toward the pureblood. 

He clutches the glowing white amulet around his neck. Cecilia briefly examines the scene before focusing back on her task. With one touch, Bridget removes Freya’s astral form and guides her by the arm. Catching on quickly, the latter extends an arm out toward the leader ahead of them. Their combined magic sends Abraham barreling backwards through the ritual, but the amulet remains intact.

The irritated man scrambles to his feet before yelling at his loyal followers again. His attention is brought back to the pair of witches staring at him. “Nice try. This amulet is magically protected by my soul,” he states. Bridget grins in response. “Lucky us then,” she remarks. A large force of energy is unleashed at Abraham, but he enacts a defense that blasts the younger witch back into a wall. She falls unconscious and Freya shifts back into her physical body within the barrier. 

“Bridget,” Freya and Greg call out in unison. 

She’s completely incapacitated, and they fear that the damage combined with her concussion is fatal. The fear is enough to have the werewolf nearly breaking out of his chains until a cult member injects him with wolfsbane. 

The golden scepter finally begins to glow just as Keelin and Maxwell enter the fray. The former wastes no time striding down the church aisle as the latter stops to work on releasing Freya from her barrier. Abraham widens his eyes at the werewolf. “You should be dead,” he claims. He turns to his righthand. “Cecilia, you’ve failed me!” Golden eyes glow at the leader. “You have something that’s mine,” Keelin remarks. Suddenly she morphs into her wolf form and snarls at him. The russet colored werewolf decapitates her victim by pouncing onto him swiftly. She then rips through the remaining group of members as Maxwell successfully releases Freya. In turn, the Mikaelson wills her telekinesis to free Greg from his chains and he instantly runs over to Bridget’s unmoving form.

Cecilia attempts to run away with Mikaela and the scepter within her possession. But the two witches at the end of the aisle block her in. A low growl startles her as she realizes that she is the target of a large wolf several feet behind her. Her frantic green eyes whip between her enemies with the upper hand. 

“I was only doing what was right for my congregation,” she proclaims loudly.

“I bet you tell yourself that every waking moment,” Freya remarks while reclaiming the scepter with telekinesis. “Let my daughter go.” The red-haired woman shakily obliges, and Mikaela runs down the aisle to her mother. The blonde smiles at her softly until she sees movement out of focus causing her paranoia to flare up. She forcefully extracts Cecilia’s heart and watches as her limp body crumples on the floor. The toddler wails and Freya drops down on her knees to hold her child tightly. Keelin joins the pair in her wolf form as her familial instincts take over. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. You’re okay.”  
________________________________________

At the ranch, everyone gathers around in the family room with drinks in hand. A newly dressed Keelin approaches Bridget and sits down next to her. The heat from the fireplace encapsulates them. For a moment they just sit there in silence until the werewolf speaks up. “I’m glad that you came back,” she admits. The witch peers down into her glass before turning to her friend. “I’m sorry for leaving the way that I did. I just didn’t know what else to do…but then I realized that it didn’t make me feel any better. The fact that I was leaving you here alone to fight this battle,” she breathes out. “I swear that I won’t take off like that again.”

The older woman nods in understanding and pulls her friend into a warm hug. “I just wanted you back. That’s all I wanted from you.” The other adults sit around the fireplace as well and the two women release each other. Greg pours some bourbon into his glass before clearing his throat. All eyes fall on him in question.

“Tonight, we each became the eternal protectors of Mikaela. I sure as hell didn’t get hit upside the head and dosed with wolfsbane for nothing,” he remarks. Keelin and Bridget roll their eyes lightly as Maxwell and Freya furrow their eyebrows. “So, we should complete the pact that we’ve obviously made in our hearts. To always be there for one another, to help guide Mikaela and care for her no matter what. There will be times that we may not see eye to eye or want to see each other at all. But Mikaela will always need each of us to look after her. In the future who knows? Maybe she will be the one to guide us to where we should be in the world. Love and faith is what we all need.”

Everyone silently agrees. Maxwell sips his drink quietly and Bridget mocks Greg with a slow clap. “Thanks for the speech Gramps,” she quips. “Yeah, well Gramps is about to outdrink you on this bottle,” he throws back while holding the object up. The banter fades into the background as Freya looks over at Keelin who stares right back at her. The flames from the fireplace dance around their faces as they await the next chapter of their lives.


End file.
